Decoding the behavioural dynamics of vaccination: how pre-emptive and post-recovery vaccinations shape epidemic outcomes

Abstract This study presents a coupled behavioural–epidemiological framework that integrates an extended susceptible–infected–recovered–susceptible model with evolutionary game theory to analyse timing-based vaccination strategies, specifically pre-infection and post-recovery vaccination. Key findings show that pre-infection vaccination is crucial for immediate transmission control while post-recovery vaccination helps maintain long-term population immunity. The model identifies nine equilibria