When immunisation services are disrupted, even for brief periods during emergencies, the risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, such as measles and polio, increases. According to a statement on the WHO website, last year’s deadly measles outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, took more than 6000 lives in a country already facing its largest Ebola outbreak.
“This highlights the importance of maintaining essential health services, such as immunization in times of emergency,” it said. “Further disease outbreaks will also overwhelm health systems already battling the impacts of COVID-19,” it added.
WHO chief, Tedros Ghebreyesus, on the website said disease outbreaks must not remain a threat when safe and effective vaccines are available. “While the world strives to develop a new vaccine for COVID-19 at record speed, we must not risk losing the fight to protect everyone, everywhere against vaccine-preventable diseases. These diseases will come roaring back if we do not vaccinate,” he said.
WHO says it is working with partners all over the world to accelerate research and development of a safe and effective vaccine and ensure equitable access for the billions of people who will need it. Yet, even with an expedited process, development of a vaccine for COVID-19 will take time.
“Precautionary measures are essential now to help keep us safe from disease, including diseases for which vaccines already protect children and adults,” the statement said.
Mr Ghebreyesus said too many people are still excluded from the benefits of vaccines. “Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world had made immense progress in ensuring that children are vaccinated.”
Before the coronavirus pandemic
A report from WHO shows that in 2018, 86 per cent of children under the age of five globally were vaccinated with three doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3) and one dose of the measles vaccine, up from 72 per cent in 2000 and 20 per cent in 1980.
It said the number of children paralysed by polio has been reduced by 99.9 per cent worldwide. Yet, global vaccination coverage is still far from the 95 per cent coverage needed to fully protect communities against outbreaks of this vaccine-preventable disease.
In 2018, nearly 20 million children worldwide – more than 1 in 10 – missed out on lifesaving vaccines, such as measles, diphtheria and tetanus. Roughly, 13 million of the children have never received any vaccines, putting them and their communities at risk of disease and death.
The majority of these children live in countries with already fragile health systems, further limiting their access to essential health services when they fall sick. Measles continues to remain an ever-present threat, especially if vaccination rates drops. Current projections indicate that as many as 800,000 people may have been infected with the disease in 2019.
In 2020 there are increasing concerns about another resurgence, especially if vaccination rates fall due to delay or suspension of scheduled immunisation activities as a result of COVID-19. Outbreaks of polio, diphtheria and yellow fever are also of high concern, especially in the countries least able to respond quickly and decisively to address an emerging outbreak, as seen in previous emergencies such as the polio outbreak in Syria in 2013.
Maintaining immunisation services during COVID-19
“As the response to COVID-19 continues, countries must act now protect immunization services, in order to further minimize disease outbreaks and loss of life,” it said
This includes, facilitating urgent catch up programmes in places where services have been disrupted, ensuring strong supply chains, disease surveillance and trained health workers. It said caregivers should also make sure they continue to vaccinate their children in line with national policies.
New WHO guidelines on immunisation and COVID-19 recommend that governments temporarily pause preventive immunisation campaigns where there is no active outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease. Also, it urges countries to prioritise the continuation of routine immunisation of children in essential service delivery, as well as adult vaccinations such as influenza for groups most at risk.
“If immunization services must be suspended, urgent catch-up vaccinations should be rescheduled as soon as possible, prioritizing those most at risk.”
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