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A Mathematical Model of COVID-19 With Vaccination
A Mathematical Model of COVID-19 With Vaccination
A Mathematical Model of COVID-19 With Vaccination
Research Article
A Mathematical Model of COVID-19 with Vaccination
and Treatment
1
Departement de Mathematiques, UFR des Sciences et Technologies, Universite de Thies, Thies, Senegal
2
Mathematics Department, University of Dar es Salaam, P.O. Box 35062, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
3
Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences ENSAI, University of Ngaoundere, P. O. Box 455 Ngaoundere, Cameroon
4
School of Computational and Communication Sciences and Engineering, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science
and Technology, P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania
Received 8 July 2021; Revised 12 August 2021; Accepted 19 August 2021; Published 6 September 2021
Copyright © 2021 M. L. Diagne et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License,
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
We formulate and theoretically analyze a mathematical model of COVID-19 transmission mechanism incorporating vital
dynamics of the disease and two key therapeutic measures—vaccination of susceptible individuals and recovery/treatment of
infected individuals. Both the disease-free and endemic equilibrium are globally asymptotically stable when the effective
reproduction number R0 ðvÞ is, respectively, less or greater than unity. The derived critical vaccination threshold is dependent
on the vaccine efficacy for disease eradication whenever R0 ðvÞ > 1, even if vaccine coverage is high. Pontryagin’s maximum
principle is applied to establish the existence of the optimal control problem and to derive the necessary conditions to
optimally mitigate the spread of the disease. The model is fitted with cumulative daily Senegal data, with a basic reproduction
number R0 = 1:31 at the onset of the epidemic. Simulation results suggest that despite the effectiveness of COVID-19
vaccination and treatment to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, when R0 ðvÞ > 1, additional efforts such as nonpharmaceutical
public health interventions should continue to be implemented. Using partial rank correlation coefficients and Latin hypercube
sampling, sensitivity analysis is carried out to determine the relative importance of model parameters to disease transmission.
Results shown graphically could help to inform the process of prioritizing public health intervention measures to be
implemented and which model parameter to focus on in order to mitigate the spread of the disease. The effective contact rate
b, the vaccine efficacy ε, the vaccination rate v, the fraction of exposed individuals who develop symptoms, and, respectively,
the exit rates from the exposed and the asymptomatic classes σ and ϕ are the most impactful parameters.
A
𝜇
𝜎(1−𝜓) 𝜆𝜑
𝜆(1−𝜑)
(1−p)𝛱 βS 𝜎𝜓 𝛾𝜅
S E I R
𝜇 𝜇 𝜇+δ 𝜇
βV
v 𝛾(1−𝜅) τ
p𝛱
V H
𝜇 𝜇+δ
efficacy, there is an urgent need to assess the impact of results are presented in Section 5. The conclusion is pro-
such vaccines with imperfect transmission-blocking effects vided in Section 6.
[6] and potentially refine previous mathematical models
of COVID-19 that incorporated the potential impact of 2. Model Formulation and Analysis
an imperfect vaccine [2, 8, 20]. A recent study by Pear-
son et al. [21] found that COVID-19 vaccination in Consider a homogeneous mixing within the population, i.e.,
low- and middle-income settings is highly cost-effective individuals in the population have equal probability of con-
and even cost saving, when the vaccine is reasonably tact with each other. Using a deterministic compartmental
priced and efficacy is high. Prior to pharmaceutical mea- modeling approach to describe the disease transmission
sures such as treatment and vaccination being available, dynamics, at any time t, the total population NðtÞ is subdi-
nonpharmaceutical intervention measures such as self- vided into several epidemiological states depending on indi-
quarantine of confirmed cases, isolation, face masks, hand viduals’ health status: susceptible SðtÞ, vaccinated VðtÞ,
washing, social/physical distancing, and the most restric- exposed EðtÞ, symptomatic infected individuals IðtÞ, infected
tive lockdowns, closure, or limited openings of shops asymptomatic AðtÞ, hospitalized HðtÞ, and recovered RðtÞ.
and schools have been relied upon and continue to be The total human population NðtÞ is given by
widely implemented [22–24].
As COVID-19 vaccines are being deployed worldwide, N ðt Þ = Sðt Þ + V ðt Þ + Eðt Þ + I ðt Þ + Aðt Þ + H ðt Þ + Rðt Þ: ð1Þ
we formulate and qualitatively analyze a COVID-19 mathe-
matical model, taking into consideration available therapeu- Figure 1 depicts the schematic model flow. The descrip-
tic measures, vaccination of susceptible and treatment of tion of the model variables and parameters is presented in
hospitalized/infected individuals. Our proposed model Table 1.
incorporates some key epidemiological and biological fea- Since COVID-19 vaccination is available, it is realistic to
tures of COVID-19, including demographic parameters consider a specific vaccinated class V. The transition rates
(recruitment/birth and death). Optimal control is carried from susceptible and vaccinated to exposed is given by,
out using Pontryagin’s maximum principle as described in respectively, by the following force of infection βS = bððωA
[25] and applied in epidemiological models [26–35]. To A + ωI I + ωH HÞ/NÞ and βV = ð1 − εÞβS , where b is the effec-
identify the model parameters with greater influence on tive contact rate, ωX with X ∈ fA, I, Hg represent the trans-
the initial disease transmission R0 ðvÞ when vaccination and mission probability after a contact with an individual in
treatment are implemented [36], a sensitivity analysis is car- status X, and ε represents the infection reduction of vacci-
ried out using partial rank correlation coefficients (PRCCs) nated individuals. The nonlinearity of the force of infection
and the results are shown graphically. This identification is is one of the key features of dynamic infectious disease
crucial to inform policy decision on which parameters to models, because to model a population of individuals, the
focus either for data collection or to mitigate the spread of status of each individual is required [37]. Individuals are
the disease. To the best of our knowledge, this study pro- recruited into the population at a rate Π, with a fraction p
vides the first in-depth mathematical analysis of the qualita- vaccinated and the remaining ð1 − pÞ susceptible. The latter
tive dynamics of COVID-19 with an imperfect vaccine and are vaccinated at a rate v. Because vaccine could be imper-
treatment. fect, that is, vaccination providing only partial protection,
The rest of the paper is organized as follows. The pro- we assume that vaccinated individuals can become exposed
posed COVID-19 model is formulated in Section 2 and the- to the disease bð1 − εÞ. It has been shown that even a par-
oretically analyzed in Section 3. By applying Pontryagin’s tially efficacious vaccine can offer a fundamental solution
maximum principle, optimal control of the model to miti- to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic [20]. The parameter ε repre-
gate the spread of COVID-19 is presented in Section 4. sents the vaccine efficacy (or infection reduction of vacci-
Numerical simulations performed to support theoretical nated individuals).
Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine 3
After close contacts with symptomatic, asymptomatic, From the model flow diagram in Figure 1, we derive the
and hospitalized individuals, susceptible become exposed following system of nonlinear ordinary differential equa-
with the disease. We assume that the rate of disease trans- tions:
mission from asymptomatic to susceptible individuals is less
8
than that from symptomatic and hospitalized individuals. >
> S_ = ð1 − pÞΠ + ηR − ðβS + μ + vÞS,
While outbreaks usually persist for a shorter period of time, >
>
>
>
the COVID-19 pandemic which started in December 2019 is >
> V_ = pΠ + vS − ðβV + μÞV,
>
>
still ongoing, and for this reason, we incorporate vital >
>
> E_ = βS S + βV V − ðσ + μÞE,
>
dynamics (recruitment and death). Let σ be the exit rate <
from exposed class where a fraction ψ develops infection I_ = σψE + λð1 − ϕÞA − ðγ + μ + δÞI, ð2Þ
while the remaining 1 − ψ becomes asymptomatic. The exit >
>
>
>
rate from the asymptomatic class is λ. Asymptomatic indi- >
> A_ = σð1 − ψÞE − ðλ + μÞA,
>
>
viduals A are diminished by natural death at a rate μ (it is >
>
>
>
> H_ = γð1 − κÞI − ðτ + μ + δÞH,
assumed that death due to the disease in this group of indi- >
:
viduals is negligible), by those developing symptoms and R_ = γκI + λϕA + τH − ðη + μÞR,
moving to the asymptomatic class at a rate ð1 − ϕÞ, while a
fraction ϕ may recover naturally from the asymptomatic with initial conditions
infection and move to the recovered class R. Exit from the
infected class is γ, where a fraction ð1 − κÞ are hospitalized, Sð0Þ ≥ 0,
and a fraction κ recovers naturally. Finally, hospitalized indi-
viduals are treated and recovered at a rate τ. It is assumed V ð0Þ ≥ 0,
that symptomatic and hospitalized individuals experience
Eð0Þ ≥ 0,
and additional disease-induced death rate δ, respectively.
We also consider that the recovered individuals die at a rate I ð0Þ ≥ 0, ð3Þ
μ, while a fraction η becomes susceptible again.
From the aforementioned and the model flow diagram of Að0Þ ≥ 0,
the disease transmission mechanisms Figure 1, we derive the H ð0Þ ≥ 0,
following nonlinear system of ordinary differential equations
that captures the transmission dynamics of COVID-19. Rð0Þ ≥ 0,
4 Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine
where G1 = ððλð1 − ϕÞð1 − ψÞ + g5 ψÞ, G2 = ðg6 ωI + γð1 − κÞ ments of A are nonnegative) and Ω is the region where the
ωH Þ, G3 = g4 g6 ð1 − ψÞωA , and G4 = g2 ð1 − pÞ: model makes biological sense.
The effective reproduction number R0 ðvÞ is defined as
the average number of secondary infections generated by a Corollary 1 (see [49]). The fixed point U 0 = ðx∗ , 0Þ is a glob-
single infectious individual during his entire duration infec- ally asymptotic stable (g.a.s.) equilibrium of (11) provided
tiousness in a totally susceptible population when vaccina- that R0 ðvÞ < 1 (l.a.s.) and that assumptions (H1) and (H2)
tion is implemented. are satisfied.
3.2. Stability of the Disease-Free Equilibrium. We now study Theorem 2 (global asymptotic stability of the DFE). The
the global stability of the DFE using the approach described DFE E0 of model 1 is globally asymptotically stable if R0 ðvÞ
in [49]. Consider a system of ordinary differential equations < 1:
of the form
Proof. First, we rewrite model 1 in the form 6 by setting x
8 = ðS, VÞ and I = ðE, I, A, H, RÞ.
> dx
>
< = F ðx, I Þ, Then, the DFE is given by U 0 = ðx∗ , 0Þ = ðΠð1 − pÞ/g1 ,
dt
ð11Þ ðΠ½pg1 + vð1 − pÞÞ/g1 g2 , 0Þ and the system dx/dt = Fðx, 0Þ
>
>
: dI = Gðx, I Þ, Gðx, 0Þ = 0, becomes
dt
(
S_ = ð1 − pÞΠ − g1 S,
ð12Þ
where x ∈ ℝm denotes (its components) the number of unin- V_ = pΠ + vS − g2 V:
fected individuals and I ∈ ℝn denotes (its components) the
number of infected individuals including latent and infec- This equation has a unique equilibrium point
tious. Let U 0 = ðx∗ , 0Þ be the disease-free equilibrium of this
system, where 0 is a zero vector. Global stability of the DFE ∗ Πð1 − pÞ Π½pg1 + vð1 − pÞ
x = , , ð13Þ
is guaranteed when the following conditions (H1) and (H2) g1 g1 g2
are satisfied.
(H1) For dx/dt = Fðx, 0Þ, 0 is globally asymptotically sta- which is globally asymptotically stable. Therefore, the condi-
ble (g.a.s.). tion (H1) is satisfied.
(H2) Gðx, IÞ = AI − Gðx,̂ IÞ, Gðx,
̂ IÞ ⩾ 0 for ðx, IÞ ∈ Ω, We now verify the second condition (H2). For model 1,
∗
where A = DI Gðx , 0Þ is an M-matrix (the off diagonal ele- we have
0 1
β S S + βV V − g 3 E
B C
B σψE + λð1 − ϕÞA − g4 I C
B C
B C
Gðx, I Þ = B σð1 − ψÞE − g5 A C
B
C, ð14Þ
B C
B γð1 − κÞI − g6 H C
@ A
γκI + λϕA + τH − g7 R
0 bωI 0 bωA 0 bωH 0 1
−g3 S + V 0 ð1 − εÞ S + V 0 ð1 − ε Þ S + V 0 ð1 − εÞ 0
B N 0
N 0
N 0 C
B C
B σψ
B −g4 λð1 − ΦÞ 0 0 C
C
DI Gðx , 0Þ = B
∗ C: ð15Þ
B σ ð1 − ψ Þ
B 0 −g5 0 0 C
C
B C
B
@ 0 γð1 − κÞ 0 −g6 0 C
A
0 γκ λΦ 0 −g7
6 Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine
Clearly, A is an M-matrix. On the other hand, ∂R0 ðvÞ μ ε ðp − 1 Þ εð1 − pÞ μR0
= R0 = − < 0:
0 0 1 ∂v ðμ + v Þ 2
ð 1 − εp Þ ð 1 − εpÞ ðμ + vÞ2
S0 V
B βS − S + βv −V C ð20Þ
B N0 N0 C
B C
B 0 C Therefore, ðð1 − εÞ/ð1 − εpÞÞR0 ⩽ R0 ðvÞ ⩽ R0 , and
B C
̂ ðx, I Þ = AI − Gðx, I Þ = B
G C, hence, R0 < 1 implies R0 ðvÞ < 1, but the reverse is not true.
B 0 C
B C For R0 > 1, it is important to note that
B C
B 0 C
@ A
ð1 − ε Þ R −1
0 R0 ð∞Þ < 1 ⇔ R 0 < 1 ⇔ ε > ε∗ ≔ 0 : ð21Þ
ð1 − εpÞ R0 − p
ð16Þ
This can be interpreted to mean that when the vaccine
̂ IÞ ⩾ 0 for all ðx, IÞ ∈ Ω. Therefore,
which implies that Gðx, efficacy ε is low and R0 is far greater than unity, the disease
the conditions (H1) and (H2) are satisfied. By Corollary 1, may not be eradicated even if the vaccine coverage is high.
the global stability of the DFE is obtained. This completes Figure 2 can be interpreted as additional efforts will be
the proof.☐☐ needed to reduce R0 ðvÞ below unity even when there is a
high vaccine coverage v. In fact, the role of human/social
Global stability of the DFE precludes the model to behavior among those vaccinated (behavior compensation)
exhibit bistability also known as backward bifurcation [50, such as careless increase in social/physical contacts can
51], a situation where both the disease-free and endemic undermine vaccine impact [18, 20]. Thus, cautious phased
equilibria coexist when R0 ðvÞ < 1. relaxation of nonpharmaceutical interventions could sub-
stantially reduce population-level morbidity and mortal-
3.3. The Critical Vaccination Coverage. We investigate the ity [23].
critical vaccination coverage rate that could help eradicate The next result provides the critical vaccination thresh-
the disease. R0 ðvÞ ≔ RE . When there is no vaccination in old v∗ for disease eradication.
the community, that is, v = 0, then the effective reproduction
number reduces to Lemma 3. Assume that the basic reproduction number R0
> 1. Then, there exists
bσ½G1 G2 + G3 ½G4 + ð1 − εÞpμ
R 0 = R 0 ð0 Þ = : ð17Þ μð1 − εpÞðR0 − 1Þ
g2 g3 g4 g5 g6 v∗ = > 0, ð22Þ
ðε − ε∗ ÞðR0 − pÞ
In fact, R0 is the so-called basic reproduction number
which is the average number of secondary cases arising from such that R0 ðv∗ Þ = 1. Furthermore, R0 ðvÞ > ð<Þ1 when v < ð
one infectious individual in a totally susceptible population >Þv∗ .
[47, 52]. After some rearrangement, R0 ðvÞ can be written as
Figure 3 depicts the vaccine coverage v as a function of
μ G4 + ð1 − εÞðpμ + vÞ R0 , with a 91% vaccine efficacy ðε > ε∗ Þ. The green surface
R 0 ðv Þ = represents the case when the vaccine coverage v exceeds
μ + v G4 + ð1 − εÞpμ
the critical vaccination threshold v∗ .
μ μð1 − pÞ + ð1 − εÞðpμ + vÞ 3.4. Stability of the Endemic Equilibrium. After some alge-
R0 =
μ + v μð1 − pÞ + ð1 − εÞpμ braic manipulations, the endemic equilibrium of model sys-
tem 1 is obtained as
1 μð1 − εpÞ + ð1 − εÞv
R0 = ð1 − pÞΠ + ηR∗
μ+v ð1 − εpÞ S∗ = ,
β∗S + g1
R0 ð1 − εÞv μ ð1 − ε Þ v
R0 = μ+ = R0 + : pΠ + vS∗
μ+v ð1 − εpÞ ðμ + vÞ ð1 − εpÞ ðμ + vÞ V∗ = ,
ð1 − εÞβ∗S + g2
ð18Þ
β∗S ½S∗ + ð1 − εÞV ∗
Thus, E∗ = ,
g3
ð1 − ε Þ σð1 − ψÞE∗
R0 ð∞Þ ≔ lim R0 ðvÞ = R: ð19Þ A∗ = ,
v⟶+∞ ð1 − εpÞ 0 g5
σψE∗ + λð1 − ϕÞA∗
Taking the partial derivative of R0 ðvÞ with respect to v I∗ = ,
yields g4
Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine 7
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5 𝜀<𝜀⁎
0.4
𝜀
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
R0
0.015
0.01
v>v⁎
v
0.005
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
R0
0.4
0.35
0.3
0.25 R0 (v) > 1
0.2
ωA
0.15
R0 (v) < 1
0.1
0.05
0
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4
ωI
Figure 4: Endemic equilibrium regions when R0 ðvÞ > 1 in the (ωI , ωA ) space.
Thus, β∗S = 0 implies I = 0, which represents the disease- lim inf I ðt Þ ≥ k: ð26Þ
free equilibrium, and hence, because P1 and P2 are positive, t⟶∞
8 Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine
Consequently, the model system is uniformly persistent subject to the differential equation (27), where T is the
when R0 ðvÞ > 1. final time. This objective functional involves the total
Figure 4 depicts the impact of the reduction in trans- exposed, asymptomatic, infected, and hospitalized individ-
mission from asymptomatic ωA , and the increase in trans- uals, along with the cost of applying the controls u1 ðtÞ and
mission from symptomatic ωI on the effective u2 ðtÞ. We consider a quadratic objective functional for
reproduction number R0 ðvÞ > 1 is shown in Figure 4. Sim- measuring the control cost as frequently used in the liter-
ilar graphical representation for different model parame- ature [29–32, 55]. The positive coefficients A1 , A2 , A3 , A4 ,
ters space can be found in [54]. The white panel in B1 and B2 are balancing weight parameters, while the con-
Figure 4 shows the endemic equilibrium regions in the trols ðu1 ðtÞ and u2 ðtÞÞ are bounded, Lebesgue integrable
(ωI , ωA ) space when R0 ðvÞ > 1. The solid line corresponds functions [31, 32]. We then seek to find optimal controls
to R0 ðvÞ = 1. To mitigate the spread of the disease, it is u∗1 and u∗2 , such that
important that the reduction in the transmission from
asymptomatic ωA < 0:36 and the increase in transmission
from symptomatic ωI < 1:16.
J ðu∗1 , u∗2 Þ = min J ðu1 , u2 Þ: ð29Þ
Ω
4. Optimal Control Problem
We investigate the impact of implementing pharmaceutical
interventions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. To
accomplish this, we introduce a set of time-dependent con- To derive the necessary conditions that the two opti-
trol variables ðu1 ðtÞ, u2 ðtÞ where mal controls and corresponding states must satisfy, we
apply Theorem 5.1 (Pontryagin’s maximum principle
(a) u1 ðtÞ represents the implementation of continuous [25]) in Fleming and Rishel [56] to develop the optimal
vaccination system for which the necessary conditions that must be
satisfied by an optimal control and its corresponding states
(b) u2 ðtÞ represents treatment of infected (often hospi- are derived. In fact, Theorem 1 in Agusto [26] which is
talized) individuals based on the boundedness of solution of model system 1
without control variables ensures the existence of the opti-
The proposed COVID-19 model with optimal control
mal control while the existence of an optimal control with
ðu1 ðtÞ, u2 ðtÞÞ consists of the following nonautonomous sys-
a given control pair follows from Fleming and Rishel [56]
tem of nonlinear ordinary differential equations.
and Caratheodory’s existence theorem [57]. For discus-
sions on various forms of the objective functional (linear,
quadratic), see [30, 58].
8
>
> S_ = ð1 − pÞΠ + ηR − ðβS + μ + u1 ÞS,
>
>
>
>
>
> V_ = pΠ + u1 S − ðβV + μ + uÞV,
>
>
>
> _ ℍ = A1 E + A2 I + A3 A + A4 H + B1 u21 + B2 u22
> E = βS S + βV V − ðσ + μÞE,
>
< + ξ1 ½ð1 − pÞΠ + ηR − ðβS + μ + u1 ÞS
I_ = σψE + λð1 − ϕÞA − ðγ + μ + δÞI, ð27Þ
>
> + ξ2 ½pΠ + u1 S − ðβV + μ + uÞV
>
>
>
> A_ = σð1 − ψÞE − ðλ + μÞA, + ξ3 ½βS S + βV V − ðσ + μÞE
>
>
>
> ð30Þ
>
>
> H_ = γð1 − κÞI − ðu2 + μ + δÞH, + ξ4 ½σψE + λð1 − ϕÞA − ðγ + μ + δÞI
>
:
R_ = γκI + λϕA + u2 H − ðη + μÞR: + ξ5 ½σð1 − ψÞE − ðλ + μÞA
+ ξ6 ½γð1 − κÞI − ðu2 + μ + δÞH
+ ξ7 ½γκI + λϕA + u2 H − ðη + μÞR,
We wish to find the controls that minimize the total
infected individuals, that is, to find an optimal control for
the two control strategies while reducing their relative costs.
In other words, we want to find the optimal values of ðu1 where ξi , i = 1, ⋯, 7 are the adjoint variables or costate
ðtÞ, u2 ðtÞÞ that minimize the objective functional Jðu1 , u2 Þ variables. The following result presents the adjoint system
where and control characterization.
The controls u∗1 and u∗2 satisfy the following optimality given by ∂ℍ/∂u∗1 = ∂ℍ/∂u∗2 = 0 or equivalently ∂ℍ/∂u∗1 = 2
8
>
> ′
S V
>
> ξ = 1 − βs ðξ1 − ξ3 Þ + βv ðξ3 − ξ2 Þ + u1 ðξ1 − ξ2 Þ + μξ1 ,
>
>
1
N N
>
>
>
>
>
> β V
> ξ ′ 2 = s S ð ξ3 − ξ 1 Þ + 1 −
> β ðξ − ξ Þ + uðξ2 − ξ1 Þ + μξ2 ,
>
> N N v 3 2
>
>
>
>
>
> β β
>
> ξ′3 = s Sðξ3 − ξ1 Þ + v V ðξ3 − ξ2 Þ + σϕðξ5 − ξ4 Þ + σðξ3 − ξ5 Þ + μξ3 − A1 ,
>
>
>
> N N
>
>
< S V
ξ′4 = ðβs − bωI Þðξ3 − ξ1 Þ + ðβv − bð1 − εÞωI Þðξ3 − ξ2 Þ + γκðξ6 − ξ7 Þ + γðξ4 − ξ6 Þ + ðμ + δÞξ4 − A2 , ð31Þ
> N N
>
>
>
> S V
>
> ξ′5 = ðβs − bωA Þðξ3 − ξ1 Þ ðβv − bð1 − εÞωA Þðξ3 − ξ2 Þ + Φλðξ4 − ξ7 Þ + λðξ5 − ξ4 Þ + μξ5 − A3 ,
>
> N N
>
>
>
>
>
> S V
>
> ξ′6 = ðbωH − βs Þðξ1 − ξ3 Þ + ðbð1 − εÞ − βv Þðξ2 − ξ3 Þ + u2 ðξ6 − ξ7 Þ + ðμ + δÞξ6 − A4 ,
>
> N N
>
>
>
> S V
>
> ξ′7 = N ðξ3 − ξ1 Þ + N βv ðξ3 − ξ2 Þ + ηðξ7 − ξ1 Þ + μξ7 ,
>
>
>
>
>
: ′
ξ i ðT Þ = 0 for i = 1, ⋯7:
1100
1000
Figure 5: Model fit with cumulative daily COVID-19 cases in Senegal, 29 March–29 April 2021.
2500
models (when one compares both models compartment
wise). The observed data were fitted in MatLab using the
2000
optimization function createOptimProblem. The estimated
value of the basic reproduction number of the disease in
Senegal during the period under consideration is R0 = 1:31, 1500
a value close to unity, which might explain why the first
wave of COVID-19 infections did not pick up in Senegal. 1000
Figure 5 depicts the daily cumulative number of COVID-
19 cases in Senegal. Red dots represent actual confirmed
cases while the blue curve is the best fitting curve of the 500
model.
0
5.2. Long-Term Dynamics of the Disease. We investigated the 0 20 40 60 80 100 120
impact of vaccination and treatment on mitigating the Times
spread of COVID-19. An iterative fourth-order Runge- S E
Kutta method (both forward and backward algorithms) is V I
employed to compute the optimal controls and state values
used. For more details on this approach, see [29, 32]. Figure 6: Profile of S, V, E, and I without saturation.
The baseline weight parameters A1 = A2 = A3 = A4 = 1,
B1 = 12, B2 = 19 are chosen to illustrate the optimal control Table 1 provides all the model parameter values used for
strategies, as well as the following nonnegative initial condi- the simulations.
tions S = 2500, V = 10, E = 20, I = 70, A = 3, H = 3, R = 1. Figure 6 depicts the time series of model system 1 for the
These weights do not necessarily have a significant meaning susceptible, vaccinated, exposed, and infected classes.
attached, but are only of theoretical sense to illustrate our Because of the potential limitations of vaccines in some set-
proposed control strategies [31–33, 59]. Using parameter tings, we consider in Figure 7 a saturated Holling type II vac-
values in Table 1, the reproduction number R0 ðvÞ > 1, indi- cination rate
cating that the disease is endemic in the population. The
positive constants A1 , A2 , A3 , and A4 represent, respectively, v
the weight that balance off the COVID-19 exposed, infected, v≔ , ð35Þ
1 + ξS
asymptomatic, and hospitalized individuals; B1 and B2 are,
respectively, the weight constant for vaccination and treat- where ξ represents the limitation of the availability of vac-
ment. Because low cost could potentially be associated with cine [60]. We observe that when vaccines are widely avail-
COVID-19 vaccination compared to its treatment (as the able, the number of susceptible individuals decreases pretty
cost associated to u2 ðtÞ includes the cost of medical exami- fast as more and more people are getting the vaccine (the
nation, hospitalization, and medicines), the weight factor vaccinated class V increases at the onset of implementation
B1 has been made lower than B2 , while the two control strat- (Figure 7)).
egies u1 , u2 are all constrained between zero and one, that is,
0 ≤ ui ðtÞ ≤ 1, i = 1, 2. For instance, if u1 = 0, it implies no 5.3. Impact of Control Interventions: Vaccination and
COVID-19 vaccination, and u1 ≠ 0 implies vaccination cam- Treatment. In the next set of figures generated from model
paign measures are being implemented in the community. system 14, optimal control strategies are implemented.
Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine 11
2500 700
600
2000
500
1500 400
1000 300
200
500
100
0 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Times Times (days)
S E E with control
V I E without control
Figure 7: Profile of S, V, E, and I with saturation. Figure 9: Dynamics of the exposed class E.
100
2500
90
80
2000
70
60
1500
50
40
1000
30
20
500
10
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Times (days)
Times (days)
V with control A with control
V without control A without control
Figure 8: Dynamics of the vaccinated class V. Figure 10: Dynamics of the asymptomatic class A.
90
80
Using the model parameter values in Table 1, the basic 70
reproduction number R0 = 2:21 > 1. For community with
no vaccination program ðv = 0Þ, the basic reproduction 60
number R0 = 4:67 is almost double compared to the case 50
when vaccination program is introduced. These values are
in agreement with those estimated in recent COVID-19 40
modeling studies [61–63]. Figures 8–12 depict the graphical 30
representations of the simulations of the COVID-19 model
as a function of time without control and with optimal con- 20
trol. As can be observed on Figures 8–12, implementing con- 10
trol measures at the optimum level could help to mitigate the 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
spread of the disease as shown by the significant decrease in Times (days)
the total number of individuals in the diseased classes and an
I with control
increased in the vaccinated class. Figure 13 depicts the pro-
I without control
file for the effect of the control functions u1 ðtÞ and u2 ðtÞ
on the dynamics of the model system. The two control mea- Figure 11: Dynamics of the infected class I.
sures need to be optimally implemented for the first 75 days
12 Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine
𝜀
0.4 1.35
300
1.20
0.2
200 1.05
0.0 0.90
100 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
v
0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Figure 14: Contour plot of R0 ðvÞ with respect to vaccine coverage v
Times (days) and efficacy ε.
H with control
H without control
0.3
1
0.9 0.2
0.8
0.1
0.7
0.6
Control
0
0.5
–0.1
0.4
0.3 –0.2
0.2
–0.3
0.1
0 –0.4
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
𝛱 p v ωA ωI ωH 𝜇 δ 𝜀 𝜎 𝛾 𝜅 𝜓 b 𝜏 𝜙 𝜆 𝜂
Times (days)
Parameters
u1
u2 Figure 15: PRCCs showing the effect of varying the input
parameters on R0 ðvÞ.
Figure 13: Controls u1 ðtÞ and u2 ðtÞ.
4
0.70 3
the treatment rate, effective contact rate should be mini-
2
mized to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the
0.65 population.
1
0.60 0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
b 6. Conclusion
Figure 16: Contour plot of R0 ðvÞ with respect to effective contact We formulated a deterministic model of the transmission
rate b and vaccine efficacy ε. dynamics of COVID-19 with an imperfect vaccine. The
model is theoretically analyzed; its effective and basic
reproduction numbers are derived. The disease-free equi-
librium is globally asymptotically stable, and the disease
1.0 6.4 could be eradicated when the reproduction number is
below unity. The critical vaccination threshold is derived,
5.6
0.8 and it is noted that if the vaccine efficacy is low and the
4.8
disease reproduction number is high, the disease may
0.6 4.0 not be eradicated even if a large proportion of the pop-
3.2 ulation is vaccinated. That is, additional efforts will be
𝜏
0.4 2.4 needed to reduce R0 ðvÞ below unity even if vaccine cov-
1.6
erage is high.
0.2 We then introduce into model system 1 time-dependent
0.8
control variables u1 ðtÞ representing vaccination and u2 ðtÞ
0.0 0.0 representing treatment of hospitalized individuals and
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
applied the Pontryagin maximum principle to determine
b
the optimal control strategy for mitigating the spread of
Figure 17: Contour plot of R0 ðvÞ with respect to effective contact the disease. We analytically derived the optimality condi-
rate b and treatment rate τ. tions for disease eradication. The model fits quite well the
observed daily data from Senegal early COVID-19 epidemic.
Numerical simulations of the optimal control of the full
model are carried out using a set of model parameter values.
the impact of the vaccine efficacy is similar to the effect of Numerical simulations indicate that COVID-19 can be con-
treatment on the initial disease prevalence. trolled in the community with the implementation of vacci-
Partial rank correlation describes the relationship nation and treatment. While our results suggest that
between two variables while at the same time removing vaccination and treatment are very effective in mitigating
the effects of several other variables from the relationship the spread of COVID-19, more efforts are needed to eradi-
[65, 66]. We perform sensitivity analysis by employing cate the disease. Thus, a combination of or concurrently
the partial rank correlation coefficients (PRCCs) and the applying personal protection/preventive measures (non-
Latin hypercube scheme to identify the impact of each pharmaceutical public health interventions) such as face
model parameters on the initial disease transmission R0 ð masks, hand washing, and social distancing should continue
vÞ. PRCCs showing the effect of varying the input parameters to be encouraged.
on the effective reproduction number R0 ðvÞ are shown in Finally, we performed a sensitivity analysis using the
Figure 15. All parameters with positive PRCCs will result in partial rank correlation coefficient in conjunction with the
an increase on the number of initial disease transmission, Latin hypercube sampling technique, to identify the model
while an increase in parameters with negative PRCCs will parameters that significantly influence the initial disease
result in a reduction of R0 ðvÞ. By exploring Figure 15, the most transmission R0 ðvÞ. Early identification of model parameters
influential parameters can be identified. Model parameters with greater influence on disease transmission is important
that should be targeted to reduce the spread of the disease to inform policy decision on which parameters to focus
are the effective contact rate b, the infection reduction (vaccine either for data collection or to mitigate the spread of the
efficacy) of vaccinated individuals ε, the fraction of exposed disease.
individuals who develop symptoms, and, respectively, the exit This study is not exhaustive, and future studies could
rates from the exposed and the asymptomatic classes σ and ϕ. investigate the impact of both therapeutic and (adherence
Figures 16 depicts the impact of the effective contact to) nontherapeutic measures on the dynamics of
rate b and the vaccine efficacy on the effective reproduc- COVID-19.
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