Vaccines

James Chinomba sits on the balcony with his youngest son Wisdom, a bright five-year-old boy, before going off to feed the pigs and tend to his farm after a day at work. James is   a   health worker at the Chileka Health Center in central Malawi. When he heard the malaria vaccine was being rolled out as part of a pilot programme, he signed up…, Malaria vaccine in Malawi, Since 2019, health centers in Malawi like Chileka, have been part of a pilot programme for a malaria vaccine supported by UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the World Health Organization. Children are given four jabs from the age of five months to their final dose at 23 months. The programme has shown to reduce symptomatic malaria cases by 75…, More on vaccines

“At first, I was scared of injections,” Leen says as she remembers how she used to feel when it came time to get vaccinated. “But I saw what happened to children who weren’t vaccinated. They got a fever and a red rash because they had measles.” Leen is just 10 years-old, but she has already seen the life-saving potential of routine immunization.…, Troubling trend, Measles and rubella are highly contagious and major causes of child mortality and congenital disabilities, yet both diseases can be prevented through vaccination. By late November 2023, a total of 50,795 suspected cases of measles and rubella had been reported in Yemen, resulting in more than 560 associated deaths – a sharp increase from the 27,…, Empowered and proud, Although children are signing up on an individual, voluntary basis to be sponsors, they are given a chance to participate in joint activities with other child sponsors and are also provided with useful school items – an important incentive for children from the poorest households. In addition, the sponsor initiative is conducted in partnership…

Since 1988, the number of children affected by polio has reduced by 99 per cent. While the end of polio is within reach, immunization efforts can easily be derailed by the rapid spread of vaccine misinformation, putting vulnerable children at risk.  Take for example Pakistan, one of just two countries where polio remains endemic, where fake videos…, The polio ‘listening post’, “Social listening is like a disease surveillance system, but instead of the virus, we track and analyze polio misinformation. Using cutting-edge digital media and tools we collect and analyze publicly available data on polio and vaccines across social media, digital media, broadcast news and print media platforms,” says Adnan Shahzad, the Digital…, Clear and accurate messaging, “What we say must be accurate and easy to understand for everyone,” says Soterine Tsanga, Polio Outbreak Response SBC specialist with UNICEF, who is also involved in the roll out of DCE to countries. “When there’s a polio outbreak, our goal is to respond swiftly to reach children with vaccination and stop further spread of the virus. We cannot…, Examples of accurate polio vaccine messaging created for digital sharing., UNICEF A photo of a mother holding her baby paired with text stating that vaccinations are the best way to fight polio. Polio vaccination messaging - Digital Community Engagement, Examples of accurate polio vaccine messaging created for digital sharing., UNICEF Graphic showing a smiling child next to text accurate messaging on polio Digital Community Engagement social media graphic - Polio paralysis, Examples of accurate polio vaccine messaging created for digital sharing., UNICEF A graphic shows a young girl in a yellow shit next to positive messaging on polio. Digital Community Engagement social media graphic - Polio WHO, Examples of accurate polio vaccine messaging created for digital sharing., UNICEF A polio awareness graphic showing facts, cartoon droplets, and a photo of a young child. Polio vaccination social campaign content. UNICEF, Examples of accurate polio vaccine messaging created for digital sharing., UNICEF A green cut-out style graphic showing a photo of a child receiving a vaccination alongside accurate information about vaccine safety. Polio vaccine information social graphic DCE, UNICEF., Examples of accurate polio vaccine messaging created for digital sharing., UNICEF A graphic shows a photo of a child next to text that states the benefits of vaccination. A photo of a mother holding her baby paired with text stating that vaccinations are the best way to fight polio. Graphic showing a smiling child next to text accurate messaging on polio A graphic shows a young girl in a yellow shit next to positive…, Digital volunteers quash rumours, Mariama, a digital social mobilizer in Dakar, looks at her phone and laptop screens. Mariama, a 20 years old digital social mobilizer working with UNICEF in Dakar, shares polio information, tracks misinformation, and responds to questions about polio. A big part of UNICEF’s social behaviour change work for polio eradication involves engaging local…, Local outreach and digital engagement, Digital Community Engagement enables countries to bridge the gap between their on-the-groundwork and digital communities, while fostering trust in childhood immunization. Pakistan’s polio eradication programme has managed several misinformation crises. In October 2022, a Facebook post falsely claimed that a child had died after receiving the polio…, More opportunities ahead, While there has been tremendous progress in getting the social listening and misinformation alert systems up and running, there is always more to do. DCE is now focused on strengthening local misinformation response teams while continuing to engage online communities through digital volunteers.  For Gulzar Ahmed Khan, a 28-year-old polio social…

In every corner of the globe, community health workers – the majority of whom are women - are key to the success of vaccination and primary care health services. We know that when health services are designed and delivered by members of the communities they serve, they’re far more likely to prove successful. If we’re going to reach children from…, As community health workers, women are so often on the frontline , Globally, female community health workers are working tirelessly to reach out to communities and immunize children, in addition to providing other essential primary health care services. Kamala, Maria, Sadiya and Bahareh are among the remarkable community health workers who bring essential services to children and mothers in Nepal, Ecuador,…, A global shortage in community health workers is a gender issue, In most parts of the world, community health workers are often low-paid and denied opportunities for training and professional growth. And we know that most community health workers globally are women. Furthermore, although they form the bulk of the health workforce, women have long been underrepresented in leadership roles.   Women make up nearly…, These are the steps we need to take to empower community health workers and set them up for success , It’s imperative that community health workers are provided with good and regular pay, and decent working conditions. That’s the minimum needed to recognize their dedication and invaluable contributions. Some of the other steps that need to be taken to ensure that community health workers are equipped to deliver to their full potential include:…, It’s crucial that we empower community health workers to succeed and thrive in their work, Nurse Parvina Khaydarova (front left) and Dilbar Boltaeva (front right), who is a physician, make house calls to vaccinate children in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Nurse Parvina Khaydarova (front left) and Dilbar Boltaeva (front right), who is a physician, make house calls to vaccinate children in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. As we’ve learned during the COVID…

Cholera doesn't know borders. Despite being preventable and easily treatable, children continue to suffer from the potentially fatal disease. After years of steady decline, cholera has made a devastating comeback. More than 1.1 billion people are at risk, with children under 5 especially vulnerable. The intestinal infection often spreads because…, What is cholera?  , Cholera is an intestinal infection. It’s caused by ingestion of food or water that’s contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.  Researchers conservatively estimate that every year, there are as many as 4 million cholera cases globally and as many as 143,000 deaths. Young children, especially those under the age of 5, bear the brunt of the…, What makes a country cholera-endemic? , A cholera-endemic area is where cases have been detected during the past 3 years, and there’s evidence that it was caused by local transmission, rather than being imported from elsewhere. Meanwhile, a cholera outbreak (epidemic) can occur in countries where cholera does not regularly occur or in endemic countries.  Children in the village of Hatla…, How does cholera spread? , Cholera disproportionately affects the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities. A lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities is closely linked to an increased likelihood of cholera transmission. That means that children who are living in urban slums and camps for internally displaced people or refugees are particularly…, If a child is infected with cholera, what are the symptoms?  , Most children infected with cholera will have no or mild symptoms, and through the use of oral rehydration solution, they can be successfully treated. But if left untreated, the disease can kill within hours. Severe cases of cholera require rapid treatment with intravenous fluids and antibiotics.   After ingesting contaminated food or water, it…, How is cholera treated?  , If infected with cholera, most children can be treated successfully through the quick administration of oral rehydration solution (ORS), which is a mixture of salt and sugar. UNICEF and the World Health Organization distribute sachets of this solution that need to be dissolved in clean water.   From 2000 to 2019, the total annual number of deaths…, What can be done to prevent the spread of cholera?  , A multifaceted approach is key to controlling cholera and reducing deaths. First and foremost, ensuring that every child has access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation is essential. It’s also important that children in communities at risk have access to the WHO pre-qualified oral cholera vaccines.  Furthermore, community engagement…, Are there vaccines available to prevent cholera?  , There are currently three World Health Organization pre-qualified oral cholera vaccines: Dukoral, Shanchol and Euvichol-Plus. In order to be fully protected, all of these vaccines require two doses. The International Coordinating Group (ICG), which UNICEF is a member of, manages the global stockpile of oral cholera vaccines. The group has…, Where in the world are we seeing cholera outbreaks?  , In recent years, we’ve seen a surge in the number of cholera outbreaks globally. 30 countries faced cholera outbreaks in 2022 – an alarming 145 per cent average increase from the previous five-year average. Countries like Lebanon and Syria reported cholera for the first time in decades. Meanwhile, an outbreak in Haiti in 2022 had a significant…, How is UNICEF responding to these cholera outbeaks?  , UNICEF has stepped up efforts to respond to cholera outbreaks in coordination with national authorities and partners. That includes widely distributing millions of water treatment tablets to ensure families in impacted communities have access to safe water.   We also supply local health departments with oral rehydration salt sachets and zinc, in…, Are we close to eliminating cholera? , Through the successful adoption of prevention measures and increased access to cholera treatment methods, including oral rehydration salt and zinc, we’re closer than ever to ensuring that no child dies from this preventable disease.   In 2021, UNICEF distributed over 93 million zinc tablets and more than 30 million oral rehydration salt sachets…

It started one summer evening late in 2021 in Ngwenya, an area on the outskirts of Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital. A then 3-year-old little girl complained to her grandmother, who is her caregiver, that her right hand and arm were feeling hot and making her feel uncomfortable. Her grandmother did her best to comfort the child overnight and took her to…

Shalu Vishal Kale and her family live under an overpass in the bustling community of Bandra, in Mumbai. She sells flowers at traffic stops, earning about $5 USD a day.  Shyam Vishal Kale , 2, is seen with Lovely, his cousin. These children, along with their families, came to Mumbai to earn a living. Shyam Vishal Kale , 2, with Lovely, his cousin,…

On a typical Tuesday morning, Jemlat would have been hard at work hawking bread on the crowded streets of Gengere, a shanty-filled neighbourhood at the end of the popular Mile 12 Market in Lagos. But one Tuesday, short of money to buy her inventory, Jemlat and her four-year-old son Fawaz took a slow disappointed walk home and happened on a life-…

There was a time when Halima would have set the dog on any polio worker who arrived at her door with vaccines for her grandchildren. But Saima Gul was not any polio worker. For two years, Saima visited Halima’s home in Gujro, on the outskirts of Karachi. She brought medicines and mosquito nets as gifts. She spoke to Halima in Pashto, the language…

The sun had just risen on a Sunday morning in August as Irwan Hakim, a community clinic nurse, strode through the streets of Kerayaan, a remote village in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo. With a megaphone pressed to his mouth, Irwan broadcast his message: Immunize your children today. Head nurse for the island of Kerayaan, and colleagues…

Vaccines save millions of lives each year. The development of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines are a crucial step in helping us get back to doing more of the things we enjoy with the people we love. We’ve gathered the latest expert information to answer some of the most common questions about COVID-19 vaccines. Keep checking back as we will…, What are the benefits of getting vaccinated?, Vaccines save millions of lives each year and a COVID-19 vaccine could save yours. The COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, providing strong protection against serious illness and death. WHO reports that unvaccinated people have at least 10 times higher risk of death from COVID-19 than someone who has been vaccinated.  It is important to be…, Who should be vaccinated first?, Each country must identify priority populations, which WHO recommends are frontline health workers (to protect health systems) and those at highest risk of death due to COVID-19, such as older adults and people with certain medical conditions. Other essential workers, such as teachers and social workers, should then be prioritized, followed by…, When shouldn’t you be vaccinated against COVID-19?, If you have any questions about whether you should receive a COVID-19 vaccine, speak to your healthcare provider. At present, people with the following health conditions should not receive a COVID-19 vaccine to avoid any possible adverse effects: If you have a history of severe allergic reactions to any ingredients of a COVID-19 vaccine. If you…, Should I get vaccinated if I already had COVID-19?, Yes, you should get vaccinated even if you’ve previously had COVID-19. While people who recover from COVID-19 may develop natural immunity to the virus, it is still not certain how long that immunity lasts or how well it protects you against COVID-19 reinfection. Vaccines offer more reliable protection, especially against severe illness and death…, Which COVID-19 vaccine is best for me?, All WHO-approved vaccines have been shown to be highly effective at protecting you against severe illness and death from COVID-19. The best vaccine to get is the one most readily available to you. You can find a list of those approved vaccines on WHO’s site .   Remember, if your vaccination involves two doses, it’s important to receive both to…, How do COVID-19 vaccines work?, Vaccines work by mimicking an infectious agent – viruses, bacteria or other microorganisms that can cause a disease. This ‘teaches’ our immune system to rapidly and effectively respond against it. Traditionally, vaccines have done this by introducing a weakened form of an infectious agent that allows our immune system to build a memory of it. This…, Are COVID-19 vaccines safe?, Yes, COVID-19 vaccines have been safely used to vaccinate billions of people. The COVID-19 vaccines were developed as rapidly as possible, but they had to go through rigorous testing in clinical trials to prove that they meet internationally agreed benchmarks for safety and effectiveness. Only if they meet these standards can a vaccine receive…, How were COVID-19 vaccines developed so quickly?, Scientists were able to develop safe effective vaccines in a relatively short amount of time due to a combination of factors that allowed them to scale up research and production without compromising safety:  Because of the global pandemic, there was a larger sample size to study and tens of thousands of volunteers stepped forward  Advancements in…, What are the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines?, Vaccines are designed to give you immunity without the dangers of getting the disease. Not everyone does, but it’s common to experience some mild-to-moderate side effects that go away within a few days on their own. Some of the mild-to-moderate side effects you may experience after vaccination include: Arm soreness at the injection site Mild fever…, How do I find out more about a particular COVID-19 vaccine?, You can find out more about COVID-19 vaccines on WHO’s website .  , Can I stop taking precautions after being vaccinated?, Keep taking precautions to protect yourself, family and friends if there is still COVID-19 in your area, even after getting vaccinated. The COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective against serious illness and death, but no vaccine is 100% effective.   The vaccines offer less protection against infection from the Omicron variant, which is now the…, Can I still get COVID-19 after I have been vaccinated? What are ‘breakthrough cases’?, A number of vaccinated people may get infected with COVID-19, which is called a breakthrough infection. In such cases, people are much more likely to only have milder symptoms. Vaccine protection against serious illness and death remains strong. With more infectious virus variants such as Omicron, there have been more breakthrough infections. That…, How long does protection from COVID-19 vaccines last?, According to WHO, the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines wanes around 4-6 months after the primary series of vaccination has been completed. Taking a booster to strengthen your protection against serious disease is recommended if it is available to you. , Do the COVID-19 vaccines protect against variants?, The WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines continue to be highly effective at preventing severe illness and death. However, the vaccines offer less protection against infection from Omicron, which is the dominant variant globally. That's why it's important to get vaccinated and continue measures to reduce the spread of the virus – which helps to reduce…, Do I need to get a booster shot?  , Booster doses play an important role in protecting against severe disease, hospitalization and death.  WHO recommends that you take all COVID-19 vaccine doses recommended to you by your health authority as soon as it is your turn, including a booster dose if recommended.  Booster shots should be given first to high priority groups. Data shows that…, What do we know about the bivalent COVID-19 booster doses that have been developed to target Omicron?, Bivalent COVID-19 booster shots have now been developed with both the original strain of the coronavirus and a strain of Omicron. These have been designed to better match the Omicron subvariants that have proven to be particularly transmissible. Lab studies have shown that these doses help you to mount a higher antibody response against Omicron.…, Can I receive different types of COVID-19 vaccines?  , Yes, however, policies on mixing vaccines vary by country. Some countries have used different vaccines for the primary vaccine series and the booster. Check with your local health authorities for guidance where you live and speak with your healthcare provider if you have any questions on what is best for you. , I’m pregnant. Can I get vaccinated against COVID-19?, Yes, you can get vaccinated if you are pregnant. COVID-19 during pregnancy puts you at higher risk of becoming severely ill and of giving birth prematurely.  Many people around the world have been vaccinated against COVID-19 while pregnant or breastfeeding. No safety concerns have been identified for them or their babies. Getting vaccinated while…, I’m breastfeeding. Should I get vaccinated against COVID-19?, Yes, if you are breastfeeding you should take the vaccine as soon as it is available to you. It is very safe and there is no risk to the mother or baby. None of the current COVID-19 vaccines have live virus in them, so there is no risk of you transmitting COVID-19 to your baby through your breastmilk from the vaccine. In fact, the antibodies that…, Can COVID-19 vaccines affect fertility?, No, you may have seen false claims on social media, but there is no evidence that any vaccine, including COVID-19 vaccines, can affect fertility in women or men. You should get vaccinated if you are currently trying to become pregnant., Could a COVID-19 vaccine disrupt my menstrual cycle?, Some people have reported experiencing a disruption to their menstrual cycle after getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Although data is still limited, research is ongoing into the impact of vaccines on menstrual cycles. Speak to your healthcare provider if you have concerns or questions about your periods., Should my child or teen get a COVID-19 vaccine?, An increasing number of vaccines have been approved for use in children. They’ve been made available after examining the data on the safety and efficacy of these vaccines, and millions of children have been safely vaccinated around the world. Some COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for children from the age of 6 months old. Check with your local…, How do I talk to my kids about COVID-19 vaccines?, News about COVID-19 vaccines is flooding our daily lives and it is only natural that curious young minds will have questions – lots of them. Read our explainer article for help explaining what can be a complicated topic in simple and reassuring terms. It’s important to note that from the millions of children that have so far been vaccinated…, My friend or family member is against COVID-19 vaccines. How do I talk to them?, The development of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines is a huge step forward in our global effort to end the pandemic. This is exciting news, but there are still some people who are skeptical or hesitant about COVID-19 vaccines. Chances are you know a person who falls into this category. We spoke to Dr. Saad Omer, Director at the Yale Institute…, How can I protect my family until we are all vaccinated?, Safe and effective vaccines are a game changer, but even once vaccinated we need to continue taking precautions for the time being to protect ourselves and others. Variants like Omicron have proven that although COVID-19 vaccines are very effective at preventing severe disease, they’re not enough to stop the spread of the virus alone. The most…, Can COVID-19 vaccines affect your DNA?, No, none of the COVID-19 vaccines affect or interact with your DNA in any way. Messenger RNA, or mRNA, vaccines teach the cells how to make a protein that triggers an immune response inside the body. This response produces antibodies which keep you protected against the virus. mRNA is different from DNA and only stays inside the cell for about 72…, Do the COVID-19 vaccines contain any animal products in them?, No, none of the WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines contain animal products., I’ve seen inaccurate information online about COVID-19 vaccines. What should I do?, Sadly, there is a lot of inaccurate information online about the COVID-19 virus and vaccines. A lot of what we’re experiencing is new to all of us, so there may be some occasions where information is shared, in a non-malicious way, that turns out to be inaccurate. Misinformation in a health crisis can spread paranoia, fear and stigmatization. It…, What is COVAX?, COVAX is a global effort committed to the development, production and equitable distribution of vaccines around the world. No country will be safe from COVID-19 until all countries are protected. There are 190 countries and territories engaged in the COVAX Facility, which account for over 90 per cent of the world’s population. Working with CEPI,…

The Ashti camp is situated in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. It’s about 150 miles east of the region’s capital, Erbil, and lies close to the border with Iran. The camp has been built to eventually accommodate 1,000 displaced families.   A mobile health team, supported by UNICEF, has arrived at Ashti. The team carries cold vaccine carrier boxes on…