Introduction
Vaccination stands as one of the most remarkable achievements in modern medicine and public health. A major landmark study reveals that global immunization efforts have saved an estimated 154 million lives – or the equivalent of 6 lives every minute of every year – over the past 50 years. The vast majority of lives saved – 101 million – were those of infants. This staggering impact demonstrates why understanding and embracing vaccination is crucial for individuals, families, and entire communities worldwide.
Immunizations are one of the greatest public health achievements, preventing tens of thousands of deaths, millions of cases of disease, and saving billions of dollars per decade. Yet despite this overwhelming success, vaccination rates continue to face challenges globally, making it more important than ever to understand why vaccines matter for both children and adults.
Understanding How Vaccines Work
Vaccination is a simple, safe, and effective way of protecting people against harmful diseases, before they come into contact with them. It uses your body's natural defences to build resistance to specific infections and makes your immune system stronger.
Vaccines changed this by providing a safe, controlled way to prepare the immune system. Instead of facing the disease, people could develop immunity through exposure to a weakened or inactive form of a virus. This form can't cause infection, but it trains the immune system to quickly recognize and respond to the pathogen in the future.
Modern vaccines undergo rigorous safety testing and monitoring. COVID-19 vaccines continue to be monitored for safety, even after FDA approval, to make sure they continue to meet FDA's standards for safety and effectiveness. This continuous monitoring system applies to all vaccines, ensuring their ongoing safety and effectiveness.
The Critical Importance of Childhood Vaccination
Protecting the Most Vulnerable
Vaccines can help protect babies and children from serious, even deadly, diseases. It's important to stay up to date on recommended vaccines. Children are particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases because their immune systems are still developing, making vaccination during childhood absolutely essential.All three of these diseases can be deadly for people of any age, and whooping cough is especially dangerous for babies. The early months and years of life represent a critical window where vaccination provides protection when natural immunity is insufficient.
Current Childhood Vaccination Coverage
In 2024, 89% of infants globally – about 115 million – received at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine, and 85% – roughly 109 million – completed all three doses, according to new national immunization coverage data released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
However, significant challenges remain. A quarter of the world's infants live in just 26 countries affected by fragility, conflict, or humanitarian crises, yet they make up half of all unvaccinated children globally. In 2024, 14.3 million infants did not receive an initial dose of DTP vaccine, pointing to a lack of access to immunization and other health services, and an additional 5.6 million are partially vaccinated.
The Recommended Vaccination Schedule
The 2024 recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedules have been approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Nurse-Midwives, American Academy of Physician Associates, and National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.
By following the recommended schedule and fully immunizing your child by 2 years of age, your child should be protected against 16 vaccine preventable diseases. This comprehensive protection covers diseases ranging from measles and polio to more recent additions like COVID-19 and RSV.
Adult Vaccination: Equally Important but Often Overlooked
Why Adults Need Vaccines Too
As we get older, our immune systems tend to weaken over time, putting us at higher risk for certain diseases. All adults ages 60 years or older should make sure they're up to date on the vaccines listed below. Adult vaccination is not just about individual protection—it's about maintaining community immunity and protecting those who cannot be vaccinated.Current Adult Vaccination Recommendations
CDC recommends a 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine for most adults ages 18 and older. It is especially important to get your 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine if you are ages 65 and older, are at high risk for severe COVID-19, or have never received a COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccination is one of the best things you can do to help protect yourself from serious diseases. Regular vaccination throughout adulthood helps maintain immunity that may wane over time and provides protection against new variants or emerging diseases.
The Devastating Reality of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Measles: A Case Study in Vaccination Success and Failure
Measles provides a powerful example of both vaccination success and the consequences of declining coverage. Before the introduction of measles vaccine in 1963 and widespread vaccination, major epidemics occurred approximately every two to three years and caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths each year.The impact of vaccination has been dramatic: Measles vaccination alone has saved 94 million lives, making it the most impactful vaccine. In just the last fifty years, it's estimated that measles vaccinations have prevented over ninety million deaths worldwide. Two to three million people would die from measles every year without them.
However, declining vaccination rates threaten this progress. Vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergartners has decreased from 95.2% during the 2019–2020 school year to 92.7% in the 2023–2024 school year, leaving approximately 280,000 kindergartners at risk during the 2023–2024 school year.
The consequences are already visible: In 2023, an estimated 10.3 million people were infected with measles. Right now, measles outbreaks are happening in every region of the world. An estimated 107 500 people died from measles in 2023 – mostly children under the age of five years, despite the availability of a safe and cost-effective vaccine.
Polio: On the Brink of Eradication
As the result of vaccination against polio more than 20 million people are able to walk today who would otherwise have been paralysed, and the world is on the verge of eradicating polio, once and for all. In 2024, 84% of infants around the world received 3 doses of polio vaccine.
This near-eradication represents one of vaccination's greatest triumphs, transforming a disease that once paralyzed hundreds of thousands of children annually into one that exists in only a few remaining pockets worldwide.
Scientific Evidence: Vaccine Safety and Effectiveness
Rigorous Safety Monitoring
CDC, working with FDA and other federal agencies, continuously monitors COVID-19 vaccines through several safety systems. This comprehensive monitoring system extends to all vaccines, with multiple surveillance systems tracking safety data in real-time.
Effectiveness Data
Recent effectiveness studies demonstrate vaccines' continued value. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) of 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine was 33% against COVID-19–associated emergency department (ED) or urgent care (UC) visits among adults aged ≥18 years and 45%–46% against hospitalizations among immunocompetent adults aged ≥65 years, compared with not receiving a 2024–2025 vaccine dose.
Two doses of MMR vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles, 1 dose is 93% effective. It is uncommon for someone who is vaccinated to develop measles. This high effectiveness rate demonstrates why maintaining vaccination coverage is so crucial for preventing outbreaks.
Meta-Analysis Confirms Safety and Efficacy
All the approved vaccines were found safe and efficacious but mRNA-based vaccines were found to be more efficacious against SARS-CoV-2 than other platforms. Data from large meta-analyses show that measles vaccination is highly effective and safe, giving a 95% reduction in the risk of measles.
The Economic Impact of Vaccination
Cost-Effectiveness
Each dollar spent on immunization saves $52 in low- and middle-income countries. That's only $18 per child to fully immunize children in low-income countries. This incredible return on investment makes vaccination one of the most cost-effective public health interventions available.
The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends immunizations as the safest and most cost-effective way of preventing disease, disability and death. The economic benefits extend beyond direct healthcare savings to include prevented productivity losses, reduced caregiver burden, and broader societal benefits.
Preventing Healthcare System Strain
COVID-19 vaccination averted approximately 68,000 hospitalizations during the 2023–24 respiratory season. This prevention of hospitalizations reduces strain on healthcare systems, freeing up resources for other critical care needs.
Global Vaccination Efforts and Challenges
Progress and Setbacks
The year 2024 marked the 50-years anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunization: over 150 million lives have been saved over these past 50 years and 40% of the reduction in infant deaths globally has been due to vaccination.
However, significant challenges remain. Despite important progress in some areas, there is widespread concern in the immunization community that childhood immunization coverage levels have been stalling for many years now, leaving many children unprotected year after year.
The Impact of Conflicts and Misinformation
Growing conflicts, economic downturns, and a rise in vaccine hesitancy are some of the threats to efforts to reach these children. As a result, the world is seeing sudden outbreaks of diphtheria and measles diseases that, until now, we'd had nearly in hand.
Inaccurate information about diseases, treatments and vaccines undermines trust in science and public health. It threatens global health by distorting public perception and eroding confidence in evidence-based policies.
Community Immunity and Herd Protection
Understanding Herd Immunity
When more than 95% of people in a community are vaccinated (coverage >95%), most people are protected through community immunity (herd immunity). This concept is crucial for protecting those who cannot be vaccinated due to medical conditions or age.
It preserves a child's broader immunity and protects those most at risk, including infants, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems from health conditions or undergoing cancer treatments. It also prevents the virus from spreading. When most people are immune, the virus runs into dead ends. Chains of transmission are broken before they can grow. As a result, outbreaks have become smaller, easier to contain, and increasingly rare. But keeping it this way requires high vaccination rates: the best way to stop a measles outbreak is to prevent it from ever starting.
Protecting the Vulnerable
1 in 5 children globally do not have access to lifesaving vaccines. This statistic highlights the importance of those who can vaccinate doing so, to help protect those who cannot access these life-saving interventions.
Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy
The Role of Healthcare Providers
Pediatricians play a crucial role in immunizing children and are a trusted source for vaccine information. Vaccine conversations with parents should begin as early as possible — ideally at the prenatal visit.
Healthcare providers serve as crucial sources of accurate information about vaccines, helping address concerns and misconceptions that may lead to hesitancy.
Evidence-Based Responses to Concerns
Vaccines are both safe and effective. Learn more about how they work and how we know they're safe. Addressing vaccine hesitancy requires transparent communication about both benefits and risks, backed by robust scientific evidence.
Future Directions and Emerging Vaccines
New Vaccine Development
New vaccine introductions, such as those for malaria, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and meningitis, as well as cholera and Ebola vaccines used during outbreaks, will further save lives in the next 50 years.
In 2024, 17 countries introduced the malaria vaccine, the WHO HPV vaccine single-dose schedule enabled more girls to be protected against cervical cancer, and a new meningitis vaccine offered a powerful shield against the five major strains of the meningococcal bacteria in a single shot.
Priority Pathogens for Future Vaccine Development
A new World Health Organization (WHO) study published today in eBioMedicine names 17 pathogens that regularly cause diseases in communities as top priorities for new vaccine development. The study reconfirms longstanding priorities for vaccine research and development (R&D), including for HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis – three diseases that collectively take nearly 2.5 million lives each year.
Vaccination Across the Lifespan
Maintaining Protection Over Time
Vaccine protection decreases over time, so it is important to get your 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine. This principle applies to many vaccines, emphasizing the importance of following recommended booster schedules throughout life.
Special Populations
Getting the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine is especially important if you: ... Are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant, or might become pregnant in the future. Vaccination during pregnancy not only protects mothers but can also provide protective antibodies to newborns.
Global Health Equity and Access
Addressing Disparities
Almost all zero-dose children live in low- and middle-income countries, primarily in Africa and South-East Asia. Over half of these children live in just 10 countries: Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sudan and Yemen.
The Importance of Global Cooperation
Global immunization programmes have shown what is humanly possible when many stakeholders, including heads of state, regional and global health agencies, scientists, charities, aid agencies, businesses, and communities work together.
Conclusion: The Continuing Importance of Vaccination
Every ten seconds, one child is saved by a vaccine against a fatal disease. Vaccines have saved millions of lives and transformed global health. This page presents data and research on their history, impact, and future.
The evidence is overwhelming: vaccination represents one of humanity's greatest medical achievements, preventing millions of deaths and untold suffering worldwide. From the near-eradication of polio to the prevention of measles outbreaks, vaccines have consistently demonstrated their power to protect individuals and communities.
However, the benefits of vaccination are not automatic—they require sustained effort, adequate coverage, and community commitment. It is especially important to maintain routine immunizations to prevent a disease outbreak, public health emergency or future pandemic.
As we face continuing challenges from both established and emerging infectious diseases, vaccination remains our most powerful tool for prevention. The science is clear, the safety record is exemplary, and the benefits are immeasurable. Whether for children receiving their first vaccines or adults maintaining lifelong protection, vaccination is an investment in individual health, community wellbeing, and global security.
The choice to vaccinate is not just personal—it's a commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society and preserving the remarkable gains in public health that previous generations have worked so hard to achieve. In an interconnected world where diseases can spread rapidly across borders, vaccination truly is everyone's responsibility.
References
World Health Organization - Global immunization efforts have saved at least 154 million lives over the past 50 years
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Vaccines by Age
American Academy of Pediatrics - Immunizations
World Health Organization - Immunization coverage
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Global Immunization Fast Facts