Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough are making headlines once again – not only in countries with limited access to healthcare, but also in regions where inoculation is widely available and free. In 2024, the WHO European Region recorded the highest number of measles cases in over 25 years. In the United States, an ongoing outbreak has already caused the first measles-related deaths in more than a decade, and the country now risks losing the elimination status for the disease that it achieved in 2000. These outbreaks, which are partly fuelled by declining vaccine coverage, are a reminder that immunisation remains a vital factor in controlling and eliminating infectious diseases. In recent years, concerns and doubts surrounding the necessity, safety, and effectiveness of vaccines have been growing. And while hesitancy doesn’t necessarily lead to refusal, it can still cause delays, missed doses, and lower overall coverage – all of which ...
