Objectives
Since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused an unanticipated increase of worldwide morbidity and mortality, placing a massive financial burden on national health-care-systems and causing significant follow-up costs. By June 2021, more than 177 million people worldwide had become infected with SARS-CoV-2, including more than 600,000 cases in Austria. Vaccinations are available for adults ≥ 18 years and for children and adolescents ≥ 12 years. The aim of this BIA is to quantify the monetary-impact due to the current situation of COVID-19 vaccination, expressed as a world with vaccination, compared to a world without vaccination.
Methods
The prediction of COVID-19 cases, inpatient-stays (regular ward, ICU) and deaths, over a 3-year time-horizon, was performed using a publicly available SEIR-model (COVID-19 Scenario-Analysis-Tool. www.covidsim.org ), full immunization of 70% of the adult population by the end of October 2021 was assumed. The efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination was weighted according to the market-shares and efficacies of EMA-approved agents.
Results
showed which savings could be achieved from the health-care-system’s perspective and from the societal perspective. Vaccination costs are based on published pharmacy-selling-prices and administration costs, which are paid by the health-care-system.
Results
Over the model-horizon considered, annual savings of 1,20 billion € (b€) (1st year) to 1,26 billion € (b€) (3rd year) [total: 3,72 b€] could be achieved. Direct costs make up between 505,34 million € (m€) (1st year) and 436,92 million € (m€) (3rd year) [total: 1,40 b€] of the total saving. The implementation of a vaccination-strategy reduces indirect costs between 1,02 b€ (1st year) and 822,98 m€ (3rd year) [total: 2,67 b€] annually. The total costs of vaccination, paid by the health-care-system, range between 319,46 m€ (1st year) and 3,85 m€ (3rd year) [total: 345,73 m€] annually.
Conclusions
1€ invested in COVID-19 vaccines relieves the society with 10,77 € and saves 4,06 € in the health-care-system.