In October 1976, a nationwide vaccination program was started against swine flu.

Question

In October 1976, a nationwide vaccination program was started against swine flu. The first shots were given to the group most at risk: the elderly and infirm. During the first week of the program, 24,000 people aged 65 and over were given shots, and 3 of these people died. As a result, eight states suspended the vaccination program. (a) Thinking about this situation from the point of view of experimental design, identify the treatment and response variables, and specify whether this was a controlled experiment, an observational study, or neither. (b) Does the suspension of the vaccination program seem like a wise decision? Explain briefly, and describe a stronger experimental design that would have led to better public-health decision-making in this case.

Explanation / Answer

(a) According to this situation from the point of view of experimental design, the treatment is the vaccination in a single level of dose and the response is whether the person is cured or not. I think this experiment was not in control.

(b) The suspension of the vaccination program is neither a wise decision. For better public - health decision-making in this case, we should divide the population in different age-group (in years) like "10 or below", "11-20", "21-45", "46-65", & "66 above" and at least 3 doses for vaccination. People having higher age and the children should give the lower dose of vaccination. It should be the experimental design.

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