The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a new vaccine against a disease and are trying to determine the optimal percentage of the population that should be vaccinated. They do not recommend vaccinating the whole population against the smallpox virus because the vaccine has undesirable, and sometimes fatal, side effects. Suppose the following table gives the data about the effects of the vaccine. Percent of population Deaths Due to Deaths due to Marginal Marginal Cost vaccinated Disease vaccine side Benefit of the of the Vaccine effects Vaccine (extra (extra deaths lives saved by due to side vaccine) effects) 0% 200 0 NA NA 10% 180 10 20% 160 25 30% 140 55 40% 120 95 50% 100 140 60% 80 200 a. Calculate the Marginal Benefit (in terms of how many extra lives are saved by the vaccine) and the marginal cost (in terms of how many extra lives are lost due to side effects) of each 10% increment of the vaccination. Write your answers on the appropriate columns above b. Using marginal thinking, determine the optimal percentage of the population that should be vaccinated. Explain your answer.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a new vaccine against a disease and are trying to determine the optimal percentage of the population that should be vaccinated. They do not recommend vaccinating the whole population against the smallpox virus because the vaccine has undesirable, and sometimes fatal, side effects. Suppose the following table gives the data about the effects of the vaccine.
Percent of population |
Deaths Due to |
Deaths due to |
Marginal |
Marginal Cost |
vaccinated |
Disease |
vaccine side |
Benefit of the |
of the Vaccine |
|
|
effects |
Vaccine (extra |
(extra deaths |
|
|
|
lives saved by |
due to side |
|
|
|
vaccine) |
effects) |
0% |
200 |
0 |
NA |
NA |
10% |
180 |
10 |
|
|
20% |
160 |
25 |
|
|
30% |
140 |
55 |
|
|
40% |
120 |
95 |
|
|
50% |
100 |
140 |
|
|
60% |
80 |
200 |
|
|
a. Calculate the Marginal Benefit (in terms of how many extra lives are saved by the vaccine) and the marginal cost (in terms of how many extra lives are lost due to side effects) of each 10% increment of the vaccination. Write your answers on the appropriate columns above
b. Using marginal thinking, determine the optimal percentage of the population that should be vaccinated. Explain your answer.
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