Did you know there are nearly 20 million children in the world today who are not getting the vaccines they need? To increase public trust and confidence in vaccines, the World Health Organization (WHO) celebrates World Immunization Week during the last week of April, from April 24-30.* 

With this year’s theme of “Vaccines bring us closer,” the WHO will focus on the role that vaccination plays in improving the health and wellbeing of everyone and bringing people together safely. While the world is currently focused on controlling the spread of COVID-19 through vaccination, there is still a need to promote the importance of routine vaccinations, which many children have skipped getting because of the pandemic. This leaves them particularly vulnerable to certain diseases, like polio and measles.

The WHO wishes to build solidarity and trust in vaccination, as vaccines have protected us against serious diseases for more than 200 years. “Whilst vaccines aren’t a silver bullet, they will help us progress on a path to a world where we can be together again,” according to the WHO.

It is vital that new research continues to enable vaccine development and that there is increased investment in vaccines in order to remove the barriers to access and protect the public from emerging diseases, such as the novel coronavirus. As stated by the WHO, vaccines have brought us closer in the past after major epidemics and will bring us closer again once we reach herd immunity to COVID-19.

Get involved in the online conversation during World Immunization Week by using the hashtag #VaccinesWork, and learn more about how to participate in the weeklong initiative on the WHO website.

*World Health Organization. (2021, Apr. 24). World Immunization Week 2021 – Vaccines bring us closer. https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2021/04/24/default-calendar/world-immunization-week-2021

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