Covid Leaves 178 Million Without Measles Shot Globally, WHO Says

As many as 178 million people globally will miss their measles vaccines this year due to the pandemic, a WHO immunization coordinator said Monday.

Fear of exposure to the SARS-Cov-2 virus that causes Covid-19 led to significant disruptions in routine shots, Ann Lindstrand, coordinator of the World Health Organization’s Expanded Programme on Immunization, said. The number of childhood deaths could increase, particularly in low-income countries with the postponement of vaccinations and the suspension of mass vaccination campaigns, she said. The majority of shots being postponed are measles and polio, according to WHO data she presented during a National Academies ...