50 Years of Vaccine Progress: World Immunization Week 2024
April 24 - 30 is World Immmunization Week, a commemoration of the lifesaving vaccines that protect people of all ages against disease and disability. This year's theme is "Humanly Possible," emphasizing the success of vaccines over the past 50 years and encouraging continued investment in the cause over the next 50 years.
Embracing Vaccine Advocacy During Global Public Health Week
The annual recognition of Global Public Health Week serves as a poignant reminder of the collective responsibility we have to safeguard the health and well-being of individuals worldwide. As a part of this, we shine a spotlight on one of the most prominent tools in our public health arsenal: vaccines.
Health Workers’ Crucial Role on Immunization Frontlines
In the heart of every community, there is a force often overlooked but indispensable in safeguarding the health of nations: health workers. This World Health Worker Week, we reflect on the remarkable dedication displayed by these workers, particularly in global immunization.
Gavi plans next 5-year strategy
2024 is a big year for Gavi, with the board approving Gavi 6.0—its strategy for the next five-year period—and the Alliance raising new resources for its investment opportunity at a critical moment in the fight against vaccine-preventable diseases.
Cornell Public Health on Capitol Hill
Shot@Life Champion Katie Lesser's article about the 2024 Advocate to Vaccinate Summit and Hill Day.
Insights from the 2024 Cervical Cancer Elimination Forum
Cervical cancer still takes the life of a woman every two minutes, but progress is underway to combat this deadly disease. Last week was the Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Forum, a historical step towards securing sustainable HPV vaccine supplies and protecting millions of girls from low- to middle-income countries from cervical cancer.
Reflecting on my first Spring Summit
In late February, over 100 advocates from across the United States gathered in D.C. for the Advocate to Vaccinate Spring Summit. This year, I was lucky enough to join for my first time.
What to Expect at the Shot@Life Champion Summit
The 2024 Shot@Life Champion Summit is just three weeks away! In this post, one of our long-time Champions, Katie Lesser, gives a day-by-day breakdown of what to expect at Summit, from arriving in D.C. to congressional meetings on Capitol Hill!
Cameroon Begins Malaria Vaccine Rollout
Cameroon just became the first country to begin routine immunizations against malaria, with more to follow throughout 2024.
Building Trust in Vaccines with Education
Education and building trust for vaccines around the world, primarily in communities with less information and access, is crucial to ensure that everyone, everywhere has a shot at life. On this International Education Day, we take a moment to reflect on education's role in #VaccinesForAll.
Looking Ahead: Immunization in 2024
2023 was a transformative year for global immunization, and paved the way for more progress in 2024. From novel vaccines being developed and distributed, to nationwide vaccine campaigns already underway, to pledges for routine immunization programs, we enter 2024 with ongoing determination to give everyone a shot at life.
100 Million Doses with the Get a Shot. Give a Shot.© Campaign
This year marks a particularly special milestone in Shot@Life and Walgreen's Get a Shot. Give a Shot.© campaign. The program has now raised enough money to provide 100 million lifesaving vaccines to be administered to children who need them most.
Follow us on Instagram
According to new research from Stanford University, the U.S. is facing millions of measles cases over the next 25 years if vaccination rates for the disease drop 10%.
And the trend is not exclusive to the U.S.: measles is making a dangerous comeback worldwide. In the past year, 138 countries have reported measles cases, with 61 reporting outbreaks. This is the highest number observed since 2019.
Misinformation and the global funding crisis is creating deadly roadblocks in our ability to vaccinate millions of children against deadly diseases. Vaccines work—but only if people have access.
May 5
New data shows that over 3 million children died from antimicrobial resistance (AMR)-related infections in 2022.
Drugs of last resort are increasingly being used to fight these resistant infections, highlighting the dire need for global coordination to control AMR in children.
Increased surveillance of AMR must adopt a ‘One Health’ approach to ensure that antibiotic use stays under control, ensuring that everyone, everywhere has a shot at life. #HealthForAll
May 2
COVID-19 caused the largest reduction in immunization coverage in a generation, with 23 million children missing out on routine vaccinations in 2020 alone. We are still trying to catch up from this backslide.
And now, the United Nations has warned that aid cuts have already set back childhood vaccination levels almost as much as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Interruptions in immunization programs and supply chains across the world have led to unprecedented surges in infectious diseases.
With #WorldImmunizationWeek drawing to a close, now is the time for action. Visit shotatlife.org to get started.
May 1
We can be the generation to successfully eradicate the second disease in human history.
Enormous progress has been made against polio, a deadly and paralytic disease—but there is still work to be done.
Hear from polio survivor and advocate, @rameshferris, about how far we’ve come and what lies ahead for action against polio.
(Filmed Feb. 2025)
Apr 30
“To know that there will not be a culture of crawlers… because they hadn’t had equitable access to vaccines. That’s why I will remain committed to a polio-free world.”
A few decades ago, polio was paralyzing 1,000 children every day, but today, cases have fallen by 99.9%.
Stay tuned tomorrow to hear from @rameshferris, polio survivor and advocate, on the pressing need to fund polio vaccine programs and ensure that everyone, everywhere, has a shot at life.
Apr 29
Every fall, millions of Americans across the country flock to their local pharmacies for their flu vaccines.
But the process of developing these annual jabs is no easy feat—and @who, in partnership with American researchers and manufacturers, plays a major role.
Keep watching to hear Dr. Wilson of @weillcornell discuss how the WHO ensures that our flu vaccines are timely and safe every single year. #WorldImmunizationWeek
Apr 28
On #WorldMalariaDay last year, we celebrated the arrival of the R21 vaccine, the second ever WHO-approved vaccine against malaria.
These safe, effective vaccines took decades to develop and—when paired with existing interventions—have the potential to save millions of lives.
Now, it’s about ensuring that malaria vaccines reach those who need them most. A malaria-free world is in reach, but only if we fight for it.
Raise your voice for immunization at shotatlife.org
Apr 25
This #WorldImmunizationWeek, we are at a watershed moment in the history of global health.
Vaccines have saved over 154 million lives in the last 50 years. Decades of collaboration have culminated in the eradication of smallpox and near-eradication of polio.
But progress has stalled in recent years.
It’s time to stand up for global health. Together, we can prove that immunization for all is #HumanlyPossible.
Apr 24
This week, Shot@Life College Ambassadors @ameenamnd and @wxjiha hosted a phone bank with their fellow UAB students to tell their policymakers why funding global immunization is more important than ever.
Tomorrow is the chance for you to do the same. Join Shot@Life Champions from around the U.S. who will be calling Congress for #HealthForAll.
Visit shotatlife.org/callscript to get started.
Apr 23
Tomorrow kicks off #WorldImmunizationWeek, a reflection on the human progress made possible by vaccination and a push to keep the fight for #HealthForAll alive.
Consider joining Shot@Life Champions from around the U.S. who will be making their voice heard in support of global vaccine equity.
Tomorrow is Shot@Life`s call-in day, and we urge you to tell your policymakers why YOU care about global immunization programs. Visit shotatlife.org/callscript to get started.
Apr 23
The world has been so close to wiping out polio for several years—and maintaining a 99.9% eradication rate is no easy feat.
But now, concerns are rising that the disease could reemerge beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan, its last two endemic strongholds, in the wake of foreign aid cuts.
Polio may not quite be ready to go the way of smallpox, but we cannot let it reemerge.
To learn more about polio elimination efforts and the fight to reach nomadic populations with vaccines, check out our latest blog by College Ambassador @ameenamnd at the link in our bio.
Apr 21
Now is not the time to back down from global health funding.
According to a recent Nature article, mpox presents a growing epidemic and pandemic risk. Human interaction with the virus is reshaping its endemic range—and knowledge and research gaps on its biological makeup are inhibiting virus control.
Mpox does not respect borders; a threat anywhere is a threat everywhere.
Raise your voice to support lifesaving immunization efforts today.
Apr 18
Become a Shot@Life Champion
Are you ready to increase your commitment to fight for global vaccine equity? Sign up for an advocacy training and become a Shot@Life Champion!
Join Us