key: cord-0943315-dd3z7ll6
authors: Torner, Nuria
title: Collateral effects of Covid-19 pandemic emergency response on worldwide immunizations
date: 2020-07-04
journal: Vacunas
DOI: 10.1016/j.vacun.2020.07.002
sha: 17df5ce6b5bb01ebc000fa3c5e777d80afdddd0c
doc_id: 943315
cord_uid: dd3z7ll6

nan

in the history of public health"

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent for the disease named as Covid-19 (coronavirus disease-19) which has become a worldwide epidemic threatening many lives especially of those at greater risk of severe outcomes. Intense efforts have been set to describe clinical and epidemiological features to guide both the interruption of transmission, prevention and treatment. These emergency efforts have been resource consuming, affecting human and economical capacities worldwide, as well as a potential impact on other research and on the quality of everyday healthcare activities. Needless to say that the effect this sudden overload of work and resources can have over preventive immunization activities. According to data collected by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi) and the Sabin Vaccine Institute, provision of routine immunization services is substantially hindered in at least 68 countries and is likely to affect approximately 80 million children under the age of 1 living in these countries. [1] Disruption of immunization services around the world puts children at risk of diseases like diphtheria, measles and polio. Efforts have to be deployed to help maintain immunization programs and mitigate the impact of the pandemic, especially in lower-income countries. The Covid-19 pandemic has turned on an alert on how much collective health depends on the responsibility of each individual and also on how important is the role of vaccines to keep global population safe and healthy.

Since March 2020, routine childhood immunization services have been disrupted on a global scale in a way that has not been ever seen since expanded programs on immunization (EPI) in the 1970s were implemented. More than half (53%) of the 129 countries where data were available reported moderate-to-severe disruptions, or a total suspension of vaccination services during March-April 2020. The reasons for disrupted services vary. Some parents are reluctant to leave home because of restrictions on movement, lack of information or because they fear infection with SARS CoV-2 virus. Also, many health workers are unavailable because of restrictions on travel, or redeployment to Covid-19 response duties, as well as a lack of protective equipment. [2] The progress achieved worldwide for polio eradication is now under threat, risking the resurgence of the disease even though 2 wild polioviruses have been already WHO has since monitored the situation and has now issued advice to help countries determine how and when to resume mass vaccination campaigns. The guidance notes that countries will need to make specific risk assessments based on the local dynamics of Covid-19 transmission, the health system capacities, and the public health benefit of conducting preventive and outbreak response vaccination campaigns. [4] Based on this guidance, and with great concerns about observed increase in polio transmission, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), is advised countries to and communities vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles or meningitis [7, 8] . In the United Kingdom, a 20% decline in routine immunizations was observed during the first three weeks of lockdown. [9] According to Moraga et al [10] , in Spain, despite recommendations from Ministry of Health and the Committee on

Vaccination [11] a decline that ranged from 5% to 60%, depending on age and vaccine, has been observed in different regions. [12, 13] The current pandemic highlights the importance of having a vaccine to prevent an infectious disease, especially in those at higher risk of severe outcome or death. This is also a grant to endorse the importance of vaccines to save lives and should enhance community trust in them. Of course a Covid-19 vaccine is indeed eagerly expected but in no case must it despise the benefits all other vaccines have achieved to improve community health. It is a must to alert healthcare professionals of the need to maintain high uptake of routine schedule vaccines for the preservation of the well-being of the population especially when it is faced by this unprecedented pandemic threat.

Nuria Torner is the Editorial in Chief of Vacunas.

At least 80 million children under one at risk of diseases such as diphtheria, measles and polio as COVID-19 disrupts routine vaccination efforts, warn Gavi, WHO and UNICEF. WHO Newsletters

Chair's summary. Glob Vaccine Summit

Protecting lifesaving immunization services during COVID-19: New guidance from WHO 2020

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Que el COVID-19 no nos frene