Type of Publication: Working paper

Type Heterogeneity under Private Information: - A Public-Good Analysis of Vaccination Behavior

Author(s):

Alyousuf, Manar; Amann, Erwin

Publication Date:

2026

Fulltext:

Dual_hetrogeneity_Amann_Alyousuf.pdf

Citation:

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Abstract

We study vaccination as a public-good problem with epidemiological externalities and multidimensional private heterogeneity. A unit-mass continuum of individuals chooses whether to vaccinate. Vaccination entails a privately observed cost; remaining unvaccinated exposes the individual to an infection loss that depends on the aggregate non-vaccination rate via a simple incidence map. Motivated by phenomena highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular the presence of medically vulnerable individuals who cannot safely risk either infection or vaccination and therefore require substantially enhanced indirect protection, we develop a framework that isolates and quantifies the size of a strategically vulnerable subgroup.