World Immunization Week is a significant global public health campaign that seeks to increase awareness around the benefits of immunization and also to encourage people to get vaccinated. It is observed every year from April 24th to April 30th and is an important effort to help prevent the spread of deadly diseases around the world.
World Immunization Week activities prioritizes in launching effective immunization programs, and providing technical assistance and crucial information.
Theme
The theme for this year’s World Immunization Week is 'The Big Catch-Up' and aims to emphasize the need for countries to accelerate their progress towards ensuring that everyone, particularly children are protected from preventable diseases. The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted routine immunization services in many countries, causing a decline in immunization coverage and leaving many people vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases.
The Big Catch-Up theme aims to highlight the urgent need to catch up on missed vaccinations and to increase access to immunization services, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Significance
The week-long campaign highlights the critical need to ensure that people of all ages have access to safe and effective vaccines, regardless of where they live.
Herd immunity is an indirect protection from infectious diseases that occurs when a large percentage of a population becomes immune to the disease through vaccination or previous infection. World Immunization Week also focuses on this. Herd immunity is an essential factor in preventing the spread of many infectious diseases, including measles, polio, and Covid-19.
World Immunization Week is an opportunity to emphasize the vital role that vaccines play in promoting public health and preventing epidemics. The campaign aims to improve vaccine coverage rates and in providing accurate information about the safety and efficacy of vaccines.
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