WP3 Impact of HPAI vaccination on the society

Summary of WP3 Objectives and Tasks

WP3 aims to provide policymakers with insights into the multiple burdens of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), including economic, behavioral, environmental, and welfare impacts of vaccination. It examines farmers' attitudes and behaviors, the economic implications of vaccination, and the broader consequences for animal welfare and the environment.

Tasks Overview:

Farmer Behavior and Vaccination Effectiveness (Task 3.1):

The objective is to assess how financial, social, and psychological factors influence farmers' decisions to vaccinate and adopt biosecurity measures. The candidate will use behavioral-economic and social-psychological frameworks to design a survey targeting farmers in France and the Netherlands. She/he will also analyze survey data to identify key determinants of compliance and incorporate findings into a risk assessment model; and  provide insights into vaccination program attributes that affect compliance and biosecurity outcomes.

Environmental and Welfare Impact (Task 3.2):

The objective is to develop a multicriteria decision model to evaluate economic, welfare, and environmental burdens of avian influenza and vaccination strategies. The candidate will incorporate farm-level data, mechanistic transmission models (Task 2.5), and economic insights (Task 3.3) to support informed decision-making. A focus will be made on animal welfare and environmental impacts through simulation and optimization modeling.

Economic Burden of Vaccination (Task 3.3):

The objective is to quantify the economic burden of HPAI outbreaks on different poultry systems, including resource efficiency and stakeholder impact. The candidate will assess vaccination costs, risk reduction, unintended losses, and vaccine protection duration using cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analyses. In addition, she/he will integrate economic, welfare, and environmental burdens into a multicriteria policy framework, parameterized for different HPAI control strategies.

Key Collaborations:

WP3 involves partnerships between Wageningen University (WU), Utrecht University (UU), the University of Liverpool (ULIV), and other stakeholders, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of HPAI control strategies. The findings will guide policymakers in designing sustainable and effective vaccination programs.