Speaker: 

Kristin Kurianski

Institution: 

CSU Fullerton

Time: 

Monday, February 24, 2025 - 4:00pm to 5:00pm

Host: 

Location: 

RH 306

The significant presence of vaccine hesitancy and even refusal during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that the mere availability of vaccination may not be enough to stem disease spread. In 2022, Ledder introduced the PUIRU model, incorporating the effects of vaccine ideology into the SIR model by partitioning the susceptible population into two subpopulations: Pre-vaccinated (willing to obtain the vaccine but not yet vaccinated) and Unvaccinated (unable or unwilling to receive a vaccine). The PUIRU model uses a fixed ideology assumption that individuals in each group will never change their opinions on vaccination. In this talk, we present a modification of the PUIRU model that allows for flexible vaccine ideologies by including a transition between Pre-vaccinated and Unvaccinated subpopulations. Using a simple model for the dependence of the transition rates on disease prevalence, we will discuss the existence and stability of the endemic disease equilibria, including conditions that lead to stable limit cycles.