World Immunization Week takes place on the last week of April, intending to raise awareness of the importance of vaccines and the benefits of having robust immunization programs.
Vaccines save around four million lives every year, avoiding vaccine-preventable diseases like diphtheria, pertussis, polio, influenza, tetanus, or measles. Due to globalization and increased global travel, infectious diseases qualify as a relevant public health threat. Immunization programs are the most cost-effective investment for healthcare systems to prevent and control infectious diseases and will be a key tool to avoid an increase in antimicrobial resistance.
However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some parts of the world have seen a plateau in vaccination coverage. In 2020, around 25 million children missed their vaccine schedules, due to various reasons, such as issues in the supply chain, increased misinformation, lack of resources, or lack of access due to lockdowns. Furthermore, adult and elderly immunization programs move slowly.
In this spirit, Frontiers is launching a new article collection to coincide with world immunization week. This occasion offers an opportunity to increase awareness of vaccines and vaccine immunization programs.
The Frontiers in Public Health Research Topic aims to address the public-health-specific dimensions of this world immunization week, highlighting the importance of vaccines to protect ourselves and others. Topics may include, but are by no means limited to:
• Strategies to promote immunization programs;
• Examples of successful worldwide immunization programs;
• Effect of COVID-19 measures on immunization programs worldwide;
• Modelling of cost-effectiveness of vaccination programs for different preventable diseases over other measures;
• Consequences of the decrease in vaccination programs for those who cannot be vaccinated and society as a whole.
World Immunization Week takes place on the last week of April, intending to raise awareness of the importance of vaccines and the benefits of having robust immunization programs.
Vaccines save around four million lives every year, avoiding vaccine-preventable diseases like diphtheria, pertussis, polio, influenza, tetanus, or measles. Due to globalization and increased global travel, infectious diseases qualify as a relevant public health threat. Immunization programs are the most cost-effective investment for healthcare systems to prevent and control infectious diseases and will be a key tool to avoid an increase in antimicrobial resistance.
However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some parts of the world have seen a plateau in vaccination coverage. In 2020, around 25 million children missed their vaccine schedules, due to various reasons, such as issues in the supply chain, increased misinformation, lack of resources, or lack of access due to lockdowns. Furthermore, adult and elderly immunization programs move slowly.
In this spirit, Frontiers is launching a new article collection to coincide with world immunization week. This occasion offers an opportunity to increase awareness of vaccines and vaccine immunization programs.
The Frontiers in Public Health Research Topic aims to address the public-health-specific dimensions of this world immunization week, highlighting the importance of vaccines to protect ourselves and others. Topics may include, but are by no means limited to:
• Strategies to promote immunization programs;
• Examples of successful worldwide immunization programs;
• Effect of COVID-19 measures on immunization programs worldwide;
• Modelling of cost-effectiveness of vaccination programs for different preventable diseases over other measures;
• Consequences of the decrease in vaccination programs for those who cannot be vaccinated and society as a whole.
