Global Childhood Vaccination Rates Plummet During Pandemic, UNICEF Reports

A new report from UNICEF reveals that public perception of vaccines for children declined in 52 out of 55 countries surveyed between 2019 and 2021, indicating rising vaccine hesitancy amid misinformation, dwindling trust in governments, and political polarization. The change in perception comes after the largest sustained backslide in childhood immunization in a generation during Covid-19 disruptions, with 67 million children missing out on one or more potentially lifesaving vaccines during the pandemic. Despite the fall in confidence, more than 80% of respondents in almost half of the countries surveyed still said childhood vaccines were important.