COVID-19 pandemic vaccination strategies of early 2021 based on behavioral differences between residents of Tokyo and Osaka, Japan.

Background: During the fourth COVID-19 wave in Japan, marked differences became apparent in the scale of the epidemic between metropolitan Tokyo in eastern Japan and Osaka prefecture in western Japan.

Methods: Public epidemic data were analyzed, with performance of mathematical simulations using simplified SEIR models.

Results: The increase in the number of infected persons per 100,000 population during the fourth wave of expansion was greater in Osaka than in Tokyo. The basic reproduction number in Osaka was greater than in Tokyo. Particularly, the number of infected people in their 20 s increased during the fourth wave: The generation-specific reproduction number for people in their 20 s was higher than for people of other generations. Both Tokyo and Osaka were found to have strong correlation between the increase in the number of infected people and the average number of people using the main downtown stations at night. Simulations showed vaccination of people in their 60 s and older reduced the number of infected people among the high-risk elderly population in the fourth wave. However, age-specific vaccination of people in their 20 s reduced the number of infected people more than vaccination of people in their 60 s and older.

Conclusions: Differences in the epidemic between Tokyo and Osaka are explainable by different behaviors of the most socially active generation. When vaccine supplies are adequate, priority should be assigned to high-risk older adults, but if vaccine supplies are scarce, simulation results suggest consideration of vaccinating specific groups among whom the epidemic is spreading rapidly.