Discrete event simulation of a drive-through COVID-19 mass vaccination model: senior population prioritization strategies

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the normal operations of countries around the world, which applied different containment and mitigation policies, such as mask-wearing, social distancing, quarantine, and lockdowns, to limit the spread of the virus. More recent mitigation efforts include vaccination strategies, since various vaccines have been authorized for emergency use for the prevention of COVID-19. In fact, vaccination is one of the best proactive mitigation strategies against the virus spread. Mass vaccination strategies have been undertaken by multiple research and development teams in the past when the public needed to be vaccinated on a large scale due to a pandemic, such as the seasonal flu or H1N1. Drive through vaccination, in particular, is more convenient and safer than walk-in vaccinations in clinics due the nature of the contagious virus. In this paper, we present the implementation of a discrete event simulation model of a drive through clinic for mass vaccinations of patients, while prioritizing the senior population. The simulation output is examined in terms of average waiting time in the queue to get vaccinated, number of patients getting vaccinated per week, and utilization of the medical resources. The results are expected to provide insights into the allocation of medical resources across lanes and prioritization strategies for the senior population to achieve higher vaccination rates, while reducing the waiting time in queue. © 2021 The Authors.