Champion Spotlight: Jaclyn Lo
After growing up in New Jersey, Canada, and Singapore, Jaclyn Lo moved back to Pennsylvania to pursue her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Bryn Mawr College. She explains how her various leadership and service opportunities impacted her work with Shot@Life as a first-time advocate.
World Health Day – Partnering to Achieve Universal Health Coverage
On the 75th anniversary of World Health Day, we celebrate the many achievements in public health, including the progress made toward achieving universal health coverage.
Champion Spotlight: Brittany Bradshaw
As a pediatric nurse, Brittany Bradshaw has witnessed the repercussions of missed immunizations firsthand. She speaks about what inspired her to pursue a path in nursing, which has driven her advocacy work to improve vaccine access.
Vaccines in the Media: Resources to Stay Informed
Read our quick roundup with resources to help you stay informed about the latest vaccine news, as well as tips on effective advocacy.
Champion Spotlight: Hiral Karelia
Growing up in a family of healthcare workers from India, Hiral Karelia has been aware of the importance of lifesaving vaccines since she was young. Now pursuing a Master of Public Health at the University of New Haven, she seeks to advocate for vaccines for all, especially those in need in her home country.
Champion Spotlight: Folake Olayinka
Longtime Shot@Life advocate, Folake Olayinka, an epidemiologist at the Texas Department of State Health Services, shares how she has grown through her work with Shot@Life.
Champion Spotlight: Aaron Connolly
First-time advocate and Cornell University master's student Aaron Connolly highlights how his advocacy work has shaped his interest in the policy side of public health.
Three Women in Vaccine Science We Look Up To
As we commemorate International Women’s Day this year, we want to spotlight a few inspiring women who highlight that we all have the power to make a difference and advocate for the issues that we are passionate about.
Shot@Life’s 12th Spring Summit Highlights
Last week, nearly 100 Champions came to D.C. to hear from global health experts and meet with members of Congress on Capitol Hill, spreading the message that we need lifesaving #VaccinesForAll.
Creating Great First Impressions with Members of Congress
Start your vaccine advocacy by creating or reigniting relationships with your members of Congress.
9 Do’s and 1 Don’t for the Shot@Life Champion Summit
With the Shot@Life Champion Summit in Washington, D.C. quickly approaching, I wanted to offer some insider information to help you prepare for the exciting event. Here are some do’s and don’ts to help you make the most of your summit experience.
Champion Spotlight: Ilina Ewen
Ilina Ewen is a longtime Shot@Life advocate who calls herself an “OG Champion.” She wears many hats — advocate, writer, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, mom, and Shot@Life Champion.
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Immunization is often disconnected from national health security strategy, but #DidYouKnow countries like Uganda and South Africa are leading the charge to change that?
Immunization infrastructure is a key part of pandemic preparedness and response and has three critical advantages:
🧑⚕️ Trusted community networks – essential for quickly communicating risk during outbreaks
🖇️ Cold chain infrastructure – a backbone of commodities distribution
📍 Tracking systems – immunization drives are data-driven, geo-tagged health data that can be used for outbreak warnings
Mainstreaming immunization into PPR is not just smart, it’s urgently necessary.
May 7
Outbreaks move fast; with vaccines, we can move faster.
With outbreaks of highly infectious diseases increasing worldwide, vaccine stockpiles are of vital importance. @gavialliance’s next strategic period will focus on stockpiling to advance rapid response efforts and protect another generation of children from disease.
Expanding these global vaccine stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningitis, and yellow fever will protect millions when every second counts.
Learn more at https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/vaccine-stockpiles-guide [link in story]
May 6
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
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!
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