For over 200 years, vaccines have protected populations against diseases which threaten lives. World Immunization Week—a campaign from the World Health Organization (WHO)—aims to promote the use of vaccines to individuals across all ages to protect them from life-threatening diseases. In the midst of a global pandemic, the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine cannot be overstated, but it is equally important to ensure that routine vaccinations are not missed. Many children have not been vaccinated during the global pandemic for diseases such as measles and polio which threaten to serve as grave health risks in the future.
This year’s theme of World Immunization Week is “Vaccines Bring Us Closer.” While vaccines can promote solidarity in a feeling of safety and security, it can also be one step towards a world where we can also be more physically close once again. This theme aims to promote trust and engagement in using one of the world’s most successful health interventions—a vaccine—to solve major health crises and promote overall well-being.
As vaccines are incredibly safe and cost-effective, the WHO is urging an increase in vaccine investment, including routine immunization and a removal of access barriers. While procedures to develop vaccines are advancing, so is the technology for vaccines themselves, “bringing us closer” to a world free from diseases such as tuberculosis, cervical cancer, and measles.
In order to combat misinformation and build trust, it is essential to spread essential and accurate information. Feel free to check out our educational resources such as our newly updated Resource Pack on Infectious Diseases: HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria and COVID-19 Teaching Toolkit.