Vaccination

“While immunization is one of the most successful public health interventions, coverage has plateaued over the last decade. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated disruptions have strained health systems, with 23 million children missing out on vaccination in 2020, 3.7 million more than in 2019 and the highest number since 2009.

During 2020, about 83% of infants worldwide (113 million infants) received 3 doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP3) vaccine, protecting them against infectious diseases that can cause serious illness and disability or be fatal.

Only 19 vaccine introductions were reported in 2020 (not including COVID-19 vaccine introductions), less than half of any year in the past two decades. This slowdown is likely to continue as countries focus on ongoing efforts to control the Covid-19 pandemic, and on the introduction of Covid-19 vaccines."

(WHO, article on Immunization Coverage)