Dynamic behaviour of a discrete-time SIR model with information dependent vaccine uptake

This paper proposes and analyzes a discrete-time deterministic SIR model with information dependent immunization behaviour, where vaccination coverage at birth during any period of time is a general phenomenological function of the risk of infection that is perceived at the beginning of the period. Results on existence of equilibria, their local stability, and system persistence are proved. Then, by considering the noteworthy subcase of a piecewise linear ‘prevalence-dependent’ coverage function, the local stability of the endemic state is proved and conditions for its global asymptotic stability are given. Some insight on both Neimarck-Sacher and period-doubling bifurcations are provided. Overall we show that prevalence-dependent coverage is an essentially stabilising force. However period-doubling bifurcations are possible though under stressed parameter constellations.