Worst backslide in confirmed child vaccination — precision vaccination

The largest sustained reduction in pediatric immunization in nearly 30 years is recorded in official data released today by WHO and UNICEF.

The proportion of children vaccinated three times against the common markers of immunization range, diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (DTP), decreased by 5% between 2019 and 2021 to a low of 81%. I did.

As a result, 25 million children missed one or more doses of DTP through regular immune services in 2021 alone.

This shows that more children are at risk of catastrophic and preventable illness, 2 million more than missed in 2020 and 6 million more than 2019. I am. This decline is COVID-19, including conflicts that often have difficulty accessing immunization, an increase in the number of children living in vulnerable environments, disruptions in services and supply chains, diversion of resources to response efforts, and containment measures. It was due to a number of factors, including related issues. Its limited immune service access and availability.

“This is a red warning to children’s health. We are witnessing the largest persistent decline in pediatric immunity of our generation. The results will be measured in life,” said UNICEF Managing Director. Catherine Russell, said in a press release issued on July 15, 2022.

“Last year, the turmoil and blockade of COVID-19 was expected to cause a pandemic hangover, but it continues to decline. COVID-19 is no excuse.”

“Millions of missing people need to catch up with immunity, or else inevitably put more outbreaks, more sick children, and more pressure on the already tense healthcare system. You will witness it. “

2021 was a year of recovery, during which a tense immune program was rebuilt and it was hoped that a cohort of children who missed the vaccine in 2020 would catch up.

Instead, the coverage of DTP will be returned to the lowest level since 2008, along with a reduction in the coverage of other basic vaccines, to achieve global goals, including the immune indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals. Did not get the world on track.

Vaccination coverage declined in all regions, with DTP coverage reversing most rapidly in East Asia and the Pacific, dropping 9% in just two years.

Myanmar and Mozambique are one of the countries with the largest relative increase in the number of children who did not receive a single vaccine between 2019 and 2021.

And unfortunately, more than a quarter of the HPV vaccine coverage achieved in 2019 has been lost.

This has significant implications for women’s health, as the global coverage of the first dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is only 15%, even though the first vaccine was approved over 15 years ago. I will give you.

And 3.5 million people missed the first dose of the HPV vaccine. It protects women from cervical cancer in later years.

“COVID-19 plans and efforts must also be closely linked to vaccination against fatal diseases such as measles, pneumonia and diarrhea,” said WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adanom Gebreyes. The doctor commented.

“It doesn’t matter either or both. It’s possible to do both.”

Some countries have particularly postponed the decline. Uganda has developed a targeted COVID-19 vaccination program to protect its priority population, including health care workers, while maintaining high coverage with regular immune programs.

Similarly, Pakistan has returned to pre-pandemic levels of coverage, thanks to the government’s high level of commitment and significant catch-up immunity efforts. To achieve this in the midst of a pandemic, health care systems and health care workers should be applauded when they are under considerable tension.

Inadequate coverage levels have already resulted in avoidable measles and polio outbreaks in the last 12 months, emphasizing the important role of immunization in keeping children, adolescents, adults, and society healthy. I am.

The initial dose of measles dropped to 81% in 2021, also the lowest level since 2008.

Similarly, compared to 2019, 6.7 million children missed a third dose of polio vaccine.

The two-year sharp decline follows nearly a decade of stagnant progress, emphasizing the need to address pandemic-related turmoil and systemic immunity challenges to ensure that all children and adolescents are reached. I am.

WHO and UNICEF are working with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and other partners to provide the Global Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030). This is a strategy for global partners associated with all countries to achieve the set goals of immunization-induced disease prevention and vaccine delivery to all. Anywhere, at any age.

“It’s painful to see more children lose protection from preventable diseases for the second year in a row. Alliance priority is not just vaccines, but coordinated structural support for the medical systems that manage them. Through this, we must implement an ambitious COVID-19 vaccination program and help countries maintain, restore and strengthen their regular immunity, “says Dr. Seth. Berkeley, CEO of Gavi, a vaccine alliance.

Monumental efforts are needed to reach the level of universal health insurance and prevent it from occurring.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announces the latest vaccinations for children schedule And with the flu season approaching in February 2022, the CDC encourages most children over the age of six months to be vaccinated against the flu each year.

Influenza vaccinations are often available at local pharmacies and clinics in the United States from August.

Precision Vaccinations Publish fact-checked, research-based vaccine news curated for mobile readers.