According to Unicef, about 67 million were born between 2019 and 2021
Unvaccinated or insufficiently vaccinated children. In some countries, this is linked to overburdening health systems – in others, to “fears and misinformation”.
According to Unicef, awareness of the importance of routine vaccinations for children dropped in 52 out of 55 countries surveyed during the corona pandemic. This development parallels the biggest decline in childhood vaccinations in 30 years – because routine vaccinations due to health systems overwhelmed by Covid and a redistribution in favor of the corona vaccine have failed: from 2019 to 2021 alone, around 67 million children missed out routine vaccines.
Vaccination rates have fallen in 112 countries, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund in a “Report on the World’s Children’s Status in 2023” published worldwide on Thursday. Children born shortly before or during the pandemic are now at the age when they should receive basic protection. Missed vaccinations must be urgently compensated for: in 2022, the number of measles cases was more than double the previous year. The number of children paralyzed by the poliovirus increased by 16% last year compared to 2021.
China, India and Mexico are the only countries surveyed by the Vaccine Confidence Project where awareness of childhood vaccinations has remained stable or even improved. In contrast, in most countries, people under 35 and women in particular reported that their confidence in routine childhood immunizations has tended to decline since the start of the pandemic. The attitude towards this is heavily dependent on the “zeitgeist”, so further analysis is needed to determine whether there is a longer-term trend.
“Fear and misinformation”: Approval of childhood vaccines dropped in Austria
In any case, support for vaccination is still relatively high. For example, in nearly half of the 55 countries surveyed, over 80% of respondents believed it was important to vaccinate children. In Austria, approval dropped from 85.3 to 74.6 percent, Unicef Austria told the Austria Press Agency.
The hesitant stance could be further fueled by uncertainty over how to handle the pandemic, widespread misinformation, dwindling trust in experts and strong political polarization. “At the height of the pandemic, scientists rapidly developed vaccines that saved countless lives. But despite this historic achievement, fear and misinformation about vaccines was as widespread as the virus itself,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “The new data is a worrying sign.” If reliance on childhood immunization falls victim to the pandemic, “the next wave of deaths could affect increasing numbers of children who contract measles, diphtheria or other preventable diseases.”
“Basic vaccination protection for children is of enormous importance globally and also in Austria, as the measles outbreaks clearly show in Austria. No child should die from a preventable disease,” urged the Managing Director of Unicef Austria , Christoph Jiinger.
More births but fewer vaccines
Of the 67 million children who failed routine immunizations, 48 million did not receive a single vaccination (“zero dose”). At the end of 2021, India and Nigeria, countries with high fertility rates, had the highest number of fully unvaccinated children, but numbers were also rising in Myanmar and the Philippines. Children who are not vaccinated live mainly in the most disadvantaged regions. In the poorest families, one in five children are not vaccinated, compared to one in 20 children in the richest families. In low- and middle-income countries, about one in ten children in urban areas and one in six children in rural areas are not vaccinated. According to Unicef, these differences almost do not exist in the richest countries.
The children’s charity has called on governments to increase their financial commitments for vaccinations and provide funds – including funds still available to fight the pandemic. Measures to build trust are also needed. “Routine immunizations and strong health systems are the best way to prevent future pandemics, preventable deaths and suffering,” said Catherine Russell.
>> To the Vaccine Confidence Project (VCP)
>> To UNICEF’s World Children’s Report
(APA)