The World Health Organization warns the pandemic triggered a massive decline in the number of children vaccinated against measles, polio, meningitis and other preventable diseases. This is WHO immunization director Kate O’Brien.

Dr. Kate O’Brien: “The COVID-19 pandemic has led to major backsliding on childhood vaccination, taking us back more than a decade. An estimated 23 million children have missed out on basic vaccines through the routine immunization services in 2020. That is the highest number of unprotected children since 2009.”