Routine Childhood Vaccination Research Articles

Moral foundations messaging to improve vaccine attitudes: An online randomized experiment from Argentina.

The uptake of routine childhood vaccinations has declined globally since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, due in part to increased vaccine hesitancy among parents. The Moral Foundations Theory proposes six foundations which can be targeted to increase vaccine uptake. In this study, we tested whether a post by UNICEF with a purity violation message could affect vaccine attitudes among parents in Argentina, where routine immunization coverage has been declining since 2014. Using an online randomized controlled survey experiment, we included 1,511 parents with a child under 12 years in Argentina. Outcomes were measured on the Vaccine Trust Indicator (VTI). We found that the purity violation message significantly affected vaccine attitudes: 80% of the intervention group scored high on the Vaccine Trust Indicator, compared to 73% in the control group (coefficient: 0.33, 95% Confidence Interval 0.20-0.47). Vaccine messaging framed as a purity violation is a promising way to improve vaccine attitudes among parents.

The Scourge of measles

Abstract Once considered a disease of the past, the resurgence of measles in England has garnered significant attention in recent weeks and months. The uptake of routine childhood vaccines including the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the lowest it has been in a decade and is well below the 95% uptake needed to protect the population and prevent outbreaks. This is giving this serious disease a chance to get a foothold in our communities. From having never seen a case of measles in their life time doctors in England are now notifying cases of measles based on clinical suspicion. Since October, we have seen a rapid increase in both measles cases and outbreaks of measles across England (the total number of cases confirmed since October 2023 to date is 1109) and it has been declared a national incident. The abstract highlights the consequences of vaccine hesitancy, illustrated by case studies of outbreaks of measles among susceptible populations such as schools and prisons and the steps being taken to control the spread. Social media misinformation, distrust in healthcare authorities, and concerns over vaccine safety are some of the factors shaping parental attitudes towards MMR vaccination. In response to these challenges, the abstract underscores the importance of targeted interventions aimed at addressing vaccine hesitancy, such as community engagement initiatives, tailored communication strategies, and healthcare provider training. By emphasizing the critical role of MMR vaccination in preventing measles resurgence, this abstract advocates for a collaborative approach involving healthcare stakeholders, policymakers, and the public to combat to combat this preventable yet persistent threat to public health.

Causes of Dropout from immunization among children in two selected slum area of Dhaka City

This study will contribute information that can be used by policymakers in the Ministry of Health (MOH) to create policies that will encourage mothers to complete their immunization schedule among children in Bangladesh. It will benefit health workers like nurses, doctors or clinicians by giving useful data on the factors associated with immunization dropout among children of one month to 18 months of age in Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in two selected slum area in Dhaka city and 120 married women (60 from each slum area of Dhaka city) were interviewed through face -to-face by the researcher. The target population was the parents had children of age from 1 month to 18 month and had routine child vaccination card were interviewed. The total sample size was 120 in number and they were selected by using systematic sampling technique. The study was based on primary data. The instruments of the study were pretested semi-structured questionnaire. After editing and coding the coded data enter into the computer SPSS Version 16.0 was used to analyze the data. Immunization was categorized into ‘complete’ and ‘drop-out’. Bivariate associations were then evaluate using Chi-square and spearman’s correlation. Logistic regression was finally performed to evaluate the strength of the predictive variables to immunization dropout. A confidence interval of 0.05 was considered in this study. Place and Period of the Study: Study was conducted from 8th January 2022 to 21th February 2022 in Tongi (Arshadnagor, Bank field, Hazi Mazar, Nishad Nagar slums -60 household) and Dhaka north City Corporation (korail slum from Banani -60 household). Results: Among the 120 participants majority that is 84.2% represented the age group of 21-35 years followed by 15.0% of <20 years. Maximum and minimums age of the participant was 37 years & 14 years. Sex distribution of the children showed that out of 120 respondents, 59 (49.2%) were male & 61 (50.8%), were female. Male: Female ratio was 1:1.1. Opinion regarding importance of immunization status showed that 100% participants opinion were immunization was important for child. The study revealed that maximum 85.0% respondents told that immunization center distance is less than 1 km & 15.07% respondents stated it is 2-3 km. The study showed that, out of 100% children 74.2% were fully immunized & 25.8% were partially immunized. Conclusion: According to study findings, out of 100% children 74.2% were fully immunized & 25.8% were partially immunized. It was found that there were no associated factors determined to causes dropout rate of immunization from chi-square test. From spearman correlation test, it was found that there was positive association between dropout rate and sex of the children, type of the family. There is a need for intensified engagement with communities through the reaching every child approach so that children are fully immunized. EWMCJ Vol. 12, No. 1&2, January-July 2024: 14-20

39 Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine immunization coverage in Canada: Results from a novel national surveillance system

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to routine immunization programs globally. There is a growing body of evidence highlighting the impact of the pandemic on other routinely administered public health services. Understanding vaccination trends for routinely administered vaccinations during the pandemic is crucial for addressing potential gaps in protection and devising targeted strategies to enhance routine immunization programs. Objectives This study investigates the impact of the pandemic on routine immunization coverage in Canada, focusing on DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis) with at least 4 doses and MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) with at least 1 dose, among children at age 2. Design/Methods Data were collected from the Routine Childhood Vaccination Coverage Surveillance system (RCVCSS) a novel national surveillance based on standardized detailed reports prepared by participating provinces and territories using data from their immunization registries. This analysis covers the years 2019 to 2022, capturing pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic phases with data from 4 reporting provinces and territories (Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Yukon). The primary objective was to assess any changes in vaccination coverage at age 2 for routinely administered immunizations from 2019 to 2022, i.e., before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Analysis reveals a decline in routine immunization coverage from 2019 to 2022. DTaP vaccination coverage at age 2 decreased from 82.0% in 2019 to 71.8% in 2022. Likewise, MMR vaccination coverage at two years showed a decline from 90.8% in 2019 to 81.7% in 2022. Similar downward trends in coverage were observed for other sets of antigens vaccinated against at age 2 including Varicella, Rotavirus, Polio, Pneumococcal and Hepatitis B. No major differences were observed when looking at vaccination coverage over time by sex. There were regional variations, with certain jurisdictions experiencing more pronounced declines than others and an increase in coverage in 2022 the post pandemic year. Conclusion There was a sustained decline in DTaP and MMR vaccination coverage at age 2 from 2019 to 2022. Further research is imperative to ascertain whether there has been a catch-up in vaccination coverage and to identify the root causes of the observed declines, so these can be addressed, and targeted interventions can be undertaken to allow coverage level to recover to their pre-pandemic levels.

Yellow fever in Ghana: Predicting emergence and ecology from historical outbreaks.

Understanding the epidemiology and ecology of yellow fever in endemic regions is critical for preventing future outbreaks. Ghana is a high-risk country for yellow fever. In this study we estimate the disease burden, ecological cycles, and areas at risk for yellow fever in Ghana based on historical outbreaks. We identify 2387 cases and 888 deaths (case fatality rate 37.7%) from yellow fever reported in Ghana from 1910 to 2022. During the approximately 30-year periods before and after implementation of routine childhood vaccination in 1992, the reported mean annual number of cases decreased by 80%. The geographic distribution of yellow fever cases has also changed over the past century. While there have been multiple large historical outbreaks of yellow fever in regions throughout Ghana, recent outbreaks have originated in northern regions. Comparing the locations where yellow fever outbreaks have emerged, we find patterns with seasons and different ecological transmission cycles. Using an ecological niche modeling framework, we predict areas in Ghana that are similar to where prior yellow fever outbreaks have originated based on temperature, precipitation, vegetation, and human population density. We find that these predictions differ depending on the ecological cycles of outbreaks. Ultimately, these findings and methods could be used to inform further subnational risk assessments for yellow fever in Ghana and other high-risk countries.

Overcoming Barriers to Childhood and Adolescent Vaccination: Opportunities in Precision Health Promotion

Abstract Background Vaccination remains one of the greatest success stories in public health as cost-effective interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases at the population level. However, the COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges to the immunization sector. Uptake of routine childhood and adolescent vaccinations was forestalled by challenges related to pandemic lockdowns/quarantine, reduced patient-provider interactions, parental reluctance to seek preventative services, poor access to health services, and loss of income and/or health insurance. Compared to pre-pandemic estimations, the pandemic era brought a consequential decline in coverage of all vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This study sought to address suboptimal adolescent vaccine delivery systems and bolster uptake in the post-pandemic era with the introduction of precision health promotion strategies centered around the use of Personal Health Libraries (PHL). Methods Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), and semantic web technologies to integrate contextual knowledge (i.e., clinical, biomedical, and SDoH data) with patient preferences, proposed PHL platforms could aid in generating personalized evidence-based recommendations useful to both care provider promotion of vaccination and mitigating patient and caregiver hesitancy. The proposed application stands to provide customized digital health interventions by 1) facilitating remote knowledge acquisition, exchange, and visualization of the benefits of on-time vaccination, 2) improving health information-seeking behaviors to reduce hesitancy, 3) bolstering patient reminder and recall systems for follow-up and series completion, and 4) learning usage patterns to incorporate end-user preferences to empower patients, promote best practices, and enable them to make informed health decisions. Results The proposed PHL would serve as an ecosystem to manage and deliver tailored vaccine-related information to inform health decision-making regarding ACIP-recommended immunizations. Such a resource could administer health education and promotion that addresses common misconceptions regarding vaccination, alleviate safety, efficacy, and side effect concerns, and deliver evidence-based support of vaccines as primary protective measures (i.e., cancer prevention). Conclusion The use of PHL would enable rapid and real-time collection and interpretation of patient data beyond the traditional clinical setting, supplying care providers with tools for optimal vaccination recommendation to bolster uptake in the post-pandemic era. Moreover, the application would enable patients and caregivers to readily access vital health information and play a crucial role in addressing the obstacles encountered when seeking accurate and dependable vaccine-related information.

Increased Identification of Vaccines for Vaccine Safety Surveillance Through Linkage With the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection as of December 31, 2023.

The HealthPartners' Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) team maintains standardized files of vaccines from medical and pharmacy claims and electronic health records (established data sources) for safety surveillance. Since 2021, for selected vaccines, data from the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC), Minnesota's immunization information system, have been added to the HealthPartners' VSD files. We examined how MIIC data have enhanced the identification of novel and routine vaccines. We describe the approach to incorporating MIIC data. We determined and compared the number and proportion of vaccines identified from established data sources with the additional capture of vaccine data identified from MIIC, in which age group and period of observation varied by vaccine. As of December 31, 2023, of 1 099 411 people in the HealthPartners' VSD cohort, 1 001 400 people (91%) were linked with an MIIC record. Across all data sources, for the full cohort, >2.7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses were recorded since 2020, >4000 mpox vaccine doses since 2022, >7.3 million influenza vaccine doses since 2004, >600 000 human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine doses since 2006, and >1.1 million diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine doses since 2004. For COVID-19 vaccines, about 30% of vaccine doses were exclusively captured from MIIC, with the remaining 70% from established data sources. For the mpox vaccine, about 42% were exclusively from MIIC. For influenza, HPV, and DTaP vaccines, about 20%, 14%, and 17%, respectively, were exclusively identified from MIIC. Incorporation of data from state immunization information systems into existing vaccine data files can enhance monitoring on the safety of novel vaccines administered outside traditional health care settings and can enhance data quality for routine childhood and adult vaccines.

Decline in Vaccination Coverage by Age 24 Months and Vaccination Inequities Among Children Born in 2020 and 2021 - National Immunization Survey-Child, United States, 2021-2023.

Data from the National Immunization Survey-Child (NIS-Child) were analyzed to estimate coverage with childhood vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices among U.S. children by age 24 months. Coverage with nearly all vaccines was lower among children born in 2020 and 2021 than it was among those born in 2018 and 2019, with declines ranging from 1.3 to 7.8 percentage points. Analyses of NIS-Child data for earlier birth cohorts have not revealed such widespread declines in routine childhood vaccination coverage. Coverage among children born during 2020-2021 varied by race and ethnicity, health insurance status, poverty status, urbanicity, and jurisdiction. Compared with non-Hispanic White children, coverage with four of the 17 vaccine measures was lower among non-Hispanic Black or African American children as well as Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic) and non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native children. Coverage was also generally lower among those covered by Medicaid or other nonprivate insurance, uninsured children, children living below the federal poverty level, and children living in rural areas. Coverage varied widely by jurisdiction, especially coverage with ≥2 doses of influenza vaccine. Children born during 2020-2021 were born during or after the period of major disruption of primary care from the COVID-19 pandemic. Providers should review children's histories and recommend needed vaccinations during every clinical encounter. Addressing financial barriers, access issues, vaccine hesitancy, and vaccine-related misinformation can also help to increase coverage, reduce disparities, and protect all children from vaccine-preventable diseases. Strategies that have been found effective include implementation of standing orders and reminder and recall systems, strong physician recommendations to vaccinate, and use of immunization information systems to identify areas of lower coverage that could benefit from targeted interventions to increase immunization rates.

The Improvement of Adaptive Immune Responses towards COVID-19 Following Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis and SARS-CoV-2 Vaccinations in Indonesian Children: Exploring the Roles of Heterologous Immunity.

Routine childhood vaccination, e.g., for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP), might provide additional protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. This concept of heterologous immunity was explored in healthy children receiving both DTP and inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. A cross-sectional study was performed on 154 healthy children aged 6-8 years old in Jakarta, Indonesia. Their vaccination status for the DTP (including a diphtheria-tetanus booster vaccine at 5 years old) and CoronaVac (from 6 years old) vaccines were recorded. Peripheral blood samples were collected from all participants, in which anti-diphtheria toxoid IgG and anti-SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD antibodies and T cell-derived IFN-γ were measured. The study participants with complete DTP vaccination had significantly higher titers of anti-diphtheria toxoid IgG than the ones without (median = 0.9349 versus 0.2113 IU/mL; p < 0.0001). Upon stratification based on DTP and CoronaVac vaccination statuses, the participants with complete DTP and CoronaVac vaccinations had the highest titer of anti-SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD antibodies (median = 1196 U/mL) and the highest concentration of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell-derived IFN-γ (median = 560.9 mIU/mL) among all the groups. Healthy children aged 6-8 years old with complete DTP and CoronaVac vaccinations exhibited stronger SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell immune responses. This might suggest an additional benefit of routine childhood vaccination in generating protection against novel pathogens, presumably via heterologous immunity.

Healthcare workers' perceptions and acceptance for COVID-19 vaccine for their children aged

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program among adults in India is one of the highly successful vaccination drives globally, but the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among parents for their children is largely unknown. As parents are primary decision-makers for their children, we aimed to assess parents' perceptions and acceptance for COVID-19 vaccination for children in India. To assess parental perceptions and acceptance for COVID-19 vaccination for their children (aged <18 years). A cross-sectional anonymous web-based survey was designed and conducted from November 1 to December 15, 2022. All the healthcare workers of a tertiary care institute in eastern Uttar Pradesh, having a child aged <18 years, constituted the study population and were invited. They were recruited through snowball sampling and were sent the study questionnaire in Google form through email and WhatsApp. Bivariate analysis was performed to determine the predictors of child vaccination acceptance among the parents. A total of 388 healthcare worker parents (HCWPs) having a child <18 years of age completed the survey. The mean age of the parents was 40.28 ± 11.34 years. The majority (96.9%) of them had already received the recommended two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Around 91% of the parents agreed that COVID-19 vaccines are important for children's health, whereas 89% agreed that COVID-19 vaccines are effective. A total of 356 (91.7%) parents were willing to vaccinate their children with a COVID-19 vaccine, of which 91.3% intended to do so as soon as possible. The factors significantly associated with the stated willingness for child vaccination among the participants were younger age (P = 0.008), female gender (P = 0000), currently married status (P = 0.00001), urban residence (P = 0.01), lower monthly income (P = 0.03), absence of any chronic illness (P = 0.0003), history of COVID-19 in the child (P = 0.004), and the child being up-to-date with the routine childhood vaccines (P = 0.01). The HCWPs from eastern Uttar Pradesh, India, have a positive attitude and low vaccine hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccination for children, with around 92% currently willing to vaccinate their children with COVID vaccine. Further longitudinal studies are required to assess the trend of parental acceptance of COVID vaccine.

Are we really hesitant toward routine immunization: Findings from a cross-sectional study in urban area in the tribal dominant state of India.

Vaccine hesitancy has been inching up and its root cause lies in the factors that influence the vaccination. The present study was conducted to find out the proportion and factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy for routine childhood vaccinations in the slum population. A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 210 children between the age group of 0 and 59 months residing in the urban slums of Ranchi in 2021. Data were collected during the household visit by interviewing the parents using a predesigned pretested interview schedule which was developed based on the validated version of the vaccine hesitancy survey questionnaire originally developed by the World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts' working group on vaccine hesitancy. Associations between variables were analyzed using logistic regression. A total of 210 children whose parents had given consent were included in our study. The majority of the families, 188 (89.5%), were not hesitant while only 22 (10.5%) were vaccine hesitant. Tribal children and unreserved category children had adjusted odds ratio of 4.41 (95% CI, 1.61-45.46) and 7.75 (95% CI, 1.07-56.08) for the delay as against their reference category. Most of the children were vaccinated in our study area and the families have shown confidence in vaccines. Although there were delays in vaccination and the reasons for the delays must be addressed to prevent these vaccine-hesitant populations from turning into vaccine-refusal population. Uniformity in vaccination days in different health facilities in slum areas, appropriate antenatal information, and counseling regarding childhood vaccinations, widespread awareness, and improving mother's education can help address the issue of vaccine hesitancy.

Confidence and barriers: Analysis of factors associated with timely routine childhood vaccination in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic

Routine childhood vaccination is a crucial component of public health in Canada and worldwide. To facilitate catch-up from the global decline in routine vaccination caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and toward the ongoing pursuit of coverage goals, vaccination programs must understand barriers to vaccine access imposed or exacerbated by the pandemic. We conducted a regionally representative online survey in January 2023 including 2036 Canadian parents with children under the age of 18. We used the COM-B model of behaviour to examine factors influencing vaccination timeliness during the pandemic. We assessed Capability with measures of vaccine understanding and decision difficulty, and Motivation with a measure of vaccine confidence. Opportunity was assessed through parents' self-reported experience with barriers to vaccination. Twenty-four percent of surveyed parents reported having missed or delayed one of their children's scheduled routine vaccinations since the beginning of the pandemic, though most parents reported having either caught up or the intention to catch up soon. In the absence of opportunity barriers, motivation was associated with timely vaccination for children aged 0–4 years (aOR = 1.81, 95 % CI: 1.14–2.84). However, experience with one or more opportunity barriers, particularly clinic closures and difficulties getting an appointment, eliminated this relationship, suggesting perennial and new pandemic-associated barriers are a critical challenge to vaccine coverage goals in Canada.

What happens at two? Immunisation stakeholders’ perspectives on factors influencing sub-optimal childhood vaccine uptake for toddlers in regional and remote Western Australia

BackgroundIn Western Australia (WA), children aged 24 months living regionally or remotely (non-urban) have suboptimal vaccine uptake. As there has not yet been a systematic approach to understanding the facilitators and barriers to childhood vaccination in regional and remote WA, this study aimed to understand the views of key immunisation stakeholders regarding barriers and solutions.MethodsDrawing on the World Health Organization’s “Tailoring Immunization Programmes” approach, we undertook a qualitative study with three forms of data collection: (1) semi-structured interviews with immunisation experts within Australia’s immunisation system, (2) a semi-structured focus group with immunisation coordinators and health workers working in regional or remote WA, and (3) member checking with senior staff from WA Health. Data from the interviews and focus group was deductively analysed using the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) model on NVivo 20.ResultsThere was no clear consensus on the typical under-vaccinated child in country WA. A range of barriers were identified: lack of awareness of the vaccine schedule, difficult access to vaccination services, a shortage in a workforce able to have meaningful conversations with vaccine hesitant parents, ineffective reminder systems, and the rapid spread of misinformation. Participants described previous efforts used to improve vaccine uptake, and felt the following would improve uptake: better access to vaccine clinics, building capacity of Aboriginal Health Workers, and vaccine reminders.ConclusionThis is the first time the facilitators and barriers to routine childhood vaccine uptake in country WA has been explored. Addressing some of these barriers may see an increase in uptake.

Health and Economic Benefits of Routine Childhood Immunizations in the Era of the Vaccines for Children Program - United States, 1994-2023.

Since 1994, the U.S. Vaccines for Children (VFC) program has covered the cost of vaccines for children whose families might not otherwise be able to afford vaccines. This report assessed and quantified the health benefits and economic impact of routine U.S. childhood immunizations among both VFC-eligible and non-VFC-eligible children born during 1994-2023. Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine; Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine; oral and inactivated poliovirus vaccines; measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine; hepatitis B vaccine; varicella vaccine; pneumococcal conjugate vaccine; hepatitis A vaccine; and rotavirus vaccine were included. Averted illnesses and deaths and associated costs over the lifetimes of 30 annual cohorts of children born during 1994-2023 were estimated using established economic models. Net savings were calculated from the payer and societal perspectives. Among approximately 117 million children born during 1994-2023, routine childhood vaccinations will have prevented approximately 508 million lifetime cases of illness, 32 million hospitalizations, and 1,129,000 deaths, at a net savings of $540 billion in direct costs and $2.7 trillion in societal costs. From both payer and societal perspectives, routine childhood vaccinations among children born during 1994-2023 resulted in substantial cost savings. Childhood immunizations continue to provide substantial health and economic benefits, while promoting health equity.

Impact of COVID-19 on vaccine confidence and uptake: A systematic literature review

ABSTRACT During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, scheduled vaccinations were postponed, mass vaccination programmes were suspended and opportunities for healthcare workers to administer vaccines ad hoc decreased. The aims of this systematic literature review were to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vaccine confidence, intent and uptake in preexisting routine childhood or adult vaccination programmes, and to identify factors associated with changes in acceptance, intent and uptake of preexisting vaccines. Medline and Embase were searched for studies in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, the USA, and European countries, published between 1 January 2021 and 4 August 2022. A complementary gray literature search was conducted between 11 and 13 October 2022, and supplemented with additional gray research in October 2023. In total, 54 citations were included in the review. Study design and geography were heterogeneous. The number of adults who received or intended to receive an influenza or pneumococcal vaccine was higher during the pandemic than in previous seasons (n = 28 studies). In addition, increased acceptance of adult vaccinations was observed during 2020–21 compared with 2019–20 (n = 12 studies). The rates of childhood vaccinations decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic across several countries (n = 11 studies). Factors associated with changes in intention to receive a vaccination, or uptake of influenza vaccine, included previous vaccination, older age, higher perceived risk of contracting COVID-19, anxiety regarding the pandemic and fear of contracting COVID-19. Acceptance and uptake of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines generally increased after onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaccines: An Emerging Multi-Modal Tool in the Fight Against Cancer.

Vaccines play an import role in cancer prevention as well as a growing role in cancer therapeutics. This article explores current knowledge regarding the role of vaccines (HPV and HBV vaccines) in protecting against preventable risk factors for select cancers as well as anti-cancer vaccines currently being used in practice. Current data suggests that routine childhood vaccination against HPV and HBV is an effective strategy for not only protecting against life-altering infectious diseases but also protecting against adult-onset cancers. Furthermore, while current vaccination practices and anti-cancer therapeutics have come a long way in recent decades, examination of CDC data also identifies areas for growth and improvement.

Impact of the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 omicron variants on routine childhood immunization in Japan

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted routine childhood vaccination worldwide, especially at the beginning of the pandemic. After the emergence of variants of concern, particularly the Omicron variants, the number of COVID-19 cases significantly increased, especially in children. However, the impact of the Omicron variants on routine childhood vaccination is unknown. MethodsThis retrospective observational study collected data on vaccines included in the Japanese national immunization program (NIP) of children 15 years or younger between 2016 and 2022 in Niigata, Japan. During the study period, hepatitis B virus vaccine and rotavirus vaccines were introduced to the NIP in October 2016 and October 2020, respectively. The monthly number of vaccine doses per eligible child population between 2020 and 2022 (pandemic period) was compared to the average number of vaccine doses in the corresponding month between 2016 and 2019 (pre-pandemic period). The effect of 8 surges of COVID-19 patients on trends in routine childhood vaccination was also analyzed. ResultsThe numbers of doses during the pre-Omicron pandemic period were comparable to the values administered before the pandemic. However, after the emergence of the Omicron variants, and especially after the surge of Omicron variant BA.5 in 2022, the number of vaccine doses declined. The decline was notable in second doses of MR vaccine at age 5–6 years by − 9.6 % and diphtheria-tetanus vaccine at ages 11–12 years by − 14.1 %. ConclusionsRoutine childhood immunization was significantly affected by the emergence of the Omicron variants most likely due to the facts that more candidates and their guardians contracted COVID-19, or were required isolation for close contacts. The findings highlight the importance of continued monitoring to maintain high coverage of routine childhood immunizations for controlling vaccine preventable diseases. A follow-up study should investigate changes in the number of declined vaccine doses during Omicron variant predominance.

The Impact of COVID-19 Vaccine Controversy on Parents' Perceptions of Routine Vaccinations.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced public perceptions and behaviors related to vaccination. Understanding parental attitudes, knowledge gaps, and vaccination practices post-pandemic is crucial for informing effective public health strategies. This study aimed to investigate parental attitudes, knowledge, and practices toward routine childhood vaccination in the post-COVID-19 era, emphasizing shifts in perspectives and implications for vaccination strategies. Methodology A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 498 parents to assess their attitudes, knowledge, and practices regarding vaccination. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and t-tests where applicable, with p-values <0.05 considered statistically significant. Results The study revealed diverse parental attitudes toward vaccination post-COVID-19. While a majority (72.9%) maintained positive attitudes toward vaccination schedules and benefits, concerns regarding vaccine safety and efficacy were noted. Knowledge gaps persisted, with 16.5% strongly agreeing that children's vaccinations are weak and have no impact on disease prevention. Despite high adherence to vaccination schedules (68.9%), motivations behind vaccine administration were questioned, as 48.2% strongly disagreed that vaccination was solely for regulatory purposes. Conclusions Post-COVID-19, parental attitudes toward vaccination have evolved, reflecting increased concerns about safety and efficacy. Addressing knowledge gaps, combating misinformation, and enhancing trust in vaccination programs are imperative. Tailored communication strategies, education campaigns, and policy interventions are essential to promote vaccination acceptance and safeguard public health resilience in the post-pandemic era.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on routine childhood vaccinations

Routine pediatric vaccination is one of the most effective public health inter-ventions for the control of a number of fatal diseases. However, during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, routine pediatric vaccination rates were severely affected by disruptions of health services and vaccine confidence issues. Governments and the United Nations have taken measures to re-establish routine pediatric vaccination, while additional efforts are needed to catch up and develop plans to ensure routine vaccination services for the future pandemics.

Immunization: Administering and Advising on Vaccination Schedules to Protect Against Various Diseases, Including Routine Childhood Vaccinations and Travel Vaccines

Immunization: Administering and Advising on Vaccination Schedules to Protect Against Various Diseases, Including Routine Childhood Vaccinations and Travel Vaccines