MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Global vaccination rates declining

Chilean at-risk workers must be given half a day off to get the shots, Minister Boccardo recalled

The World Health Organization (WHO) said global vaccination rates were declining, raising concerns about rising preventable diseases like measles (10.3 million cases in 2023, up 20%), meningitis, and yellow fever, driven by misinformation, humanitarian crises, population growth, and budget cuts.

WHO’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted vaccines saved 154 million lives over 50 years, but gains are at risk. He made those remarks as part of the World Immunization Week 2025 activities, themed “Immunization for All is Humanly Possible,” which seeks to boost vaccination for all ages.

“The financial cuts affecting global health are jeopardizing these hard-won gains. Epidemics of vaccine-preventable diseases are increasing around the world, putting lives at risk and exposing countries to ever-increasing costs to treat these diseases and respond to epidemics,” he argued.

“We are at a watershed moment in the history of global health. Hard-won gains in stamping out diseases that are preventable through vaccination are in jeopardy. Decades of collaborative efforts between governments, aid agencies, scientists, healthcare workers, and parents got us to where we are today – a world where we’ve eradicated smallpox and almost eradicated polio,” the WHO also noted.

In the Americas, Uruguay’s Vaccination Week 2025, under the slogan “Your decision makes the difference,” promotes vaccination as a collective tool, with special inoculation days on April 29 and May 2 in public spaces.

Meanwhile, Chilean authorities have stressed the urgency for at-risk groups to get vaccinated as influenza circulation reaches 40.4%, with positivity rising to 44.6%. With the malady expected to peak in May, immunization this month is crucial. Key target groups include seniors (60+), individuals with chronic conditions, pregnant women, children (6 months to fifth grade), healthcare workers, and educators. So far, 5.5 million people have received the vaccine, but further coverage is needed.

Labor Minister Giorgio Boccardo announced that workers in target groups were entitled to a half-day leave to get vaccinated against influenza and Covid-19, with a two-day advance request, with employers facing fines for denial.

The campaign also includes vaccinations for Covid-19, respiratory syncytial virus (for infants), pneumococcal disease (for seniors), and dTpa (whooping cough) for pregnant women—all free of charge at designated centers.