Using Constrained Optimization for the Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccines in the Philippines.

Background: Vaccine allocation is a national concern especially for countries such as the Philippines that have limited resources in acquiring COVID-19 vaccines. As such, certain groups are suggested to be prioritized for vaccination to protect the most vulnerable before vaccinating others.

Objective: The study aims to determine an optimal and equitable allocation of COVID-19 vaccines in the Philippines that will minimize the projected number of additional COVID-19 deaths while satisfying the priority groups for immediate vaccination.

A mathematical model of COVID-19 transmission between frontliners and the general public.

The number of COVID-19 cases is continuously increasing in different countries including the Philippines. It is estimated that the basic reproduction number of COVID-19 is around 1.5-4 (as of May 2020).