A mean-field vaccination game scheme to analyze the effect of a single vaccination strategy on a two-strain epidemic spreading

Abstract We propose a mean-field vaccination game framework that combines two distinct processes: the simultaneous spreading of two strains of an influenza-like disease, and the adoption of vaccination based on evolutionary game theory presuming an infinite and well-mixed population. The vaccine is presumed to be imperfect such that it shows better efficacy against the original (resident) strain rather than the new one (mutant). The vaccination-decision takes place at the beginning of an epidemic season and depends upon the vaccine-effectiveness along with the cost. Additionally, we explore a situation if the original strain continuously converts to a new strain through the process of mutation. With the aid of numerical experiments, we explore the impact of vaccinating behavior on a specific strain prevalence. Our results suggest that the emergence of vaccinators can create the possibility of infection-prevalence of the new strain if the vaccine cannot bestow a considerable level of efficiency against that strain. On the other hand, the resident strain can continue to dominate under large-scale vaccine avoidance. Moreover, in the case of continuous mutation, the vaccine efficacy against the new strain plays a pivotal role to control the disease prevalence. We successfully obtain phase diagrams, displaying the infected fraction with each strain, final epidemic size, vaccination coverage, and average social payoff considering two-different strategy-update rules and provide a comprehensive discussion to get an encompassing idea, justifying how the vaccinating behavior can affect the spread of a disease having two strains. Highlights –We build a mean-field vaccination game scheme to analyze the effect of an imperfect vaccine on a two-strain epidemic spreading taking into account individuals’ vaccination behavior. –En masse vaccine avoidance can enhance the possibility of the original strain prevalence. –Propensity for vaccination can create the possibility of infection by the new strain if the vaccine is unable to provide a considerable level of efficiency against that strain.