Title: Mathematical model for impact of awareness on COVID-19 vaccination among the youth in Kenya

Authors: Ancent Makau Kimulu; Abayomi Samuel Oke; Mark Kimathi; Charles Ndambuki Muli; Samuel Musili Mwalili; Winifred Nduku Mutuku

Addresses: Department of Mathematics and Actuarial Science, Kenyatta University, Kenya ' Department of Mathematics and Actuarial Science, Kenyatta University, Kenya; Department of Mathematical Sciences Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Nigeria ' Department of Mathematics and Actuarial Science, Machakos University, Kenya ' Department of Mathematics and Actuarial Science, Machakos University, Kenya ' Department of Mathematics, Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology, Kenya ' Department of Mathematics and Actuarial Science, Kenyatta University, Kenya

Abstract: Approximately 124 million cases of COVID-19 infections have been confirmed; with over 2.7 million deaths globally. Vaccines have been developed to control and contain the spread of COVID-19. However, due to the combined effects of misinformation and unawareness about the vaccines, 52% of the Kenyan youths (aged 18-35 years) are hesitantly waiting to see what happens to the vaccinated. As a result, this study models the effects of awareness on vaccine uptake among the youths in Kenya through the use of televisions, radios and social media platforms. The disease-free equilibrium (DFE) point and endemic equilibrium point (EEP) of the model are obtained by setting the derivatives to zero. The reproduction number is determined by using the next-generation matrix. The condition for stability of the DFE is shown in relation to the reproduction number. The DFE is stable when the reproduction number R₀ < 1 and unstable when R₀ > 1. It is found that both means of awareness reduced the COVID-19 infections. A simultaneous use of the methods increased the number of Kenyan youths taking the COVID-19 vaccines and consequently, further reducing the number of infections among the youths.

Keywords: COVID-19; next-generation matrix; coronavirus; awareness; vaccination; youth.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIC.2024.139089

International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, 2024 Vol.44 No.4, pp.283 - 293

Received: 25 Sep 2022
Received in revised form: 22 Jan 2023
Accepted: 08 Feb 2023
Published online: 13 Jun 2024 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article