According to the World Health Organization (WHO), global immunization efforts have saved at least 154 million lives over the past 50 years. That’s about six lives every minute, with the greatest impact in reducing infant mortality.
Vaccines have been crucial in lowering the burden of preventable diseases such as measles, influenza, pertussis and more recently, COVID-19 and RSV.
Moreover, depending on the disease and population, vaccines can now be delivered as nasal sprays, skin patches, oral doses or newer mRNA-based shots.
While immunization is not a cure-all, it remains a vital tool in public health.
Every August, National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) highlights the importance of vaccines in protecting individual and community health. The campaign promotes routine vaccination for all age groups and encourages informed discussions about access, safety and trust.
Why Immunization Still Matters
In 2024, an estimated 14.3 million children worldwide received no childhood vaccines, often called “zero-dose” children. Global coverage for three doses of the DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) vaccine was 85%, while first-dose measles coverage dropped to 84%, down from 86% in 2019.
In the US, routine childhood immunization coverage is quite high, but there are still notable disparities. For children born between 2019 and 2020, coverage exceeded 90% for at least three doses of poliovirus (93.0%), at least three doses of hepatitis B (92.1%) and at least one dose of MMR (91.6%) by age two. However, only 69.1% received the complete seven-vaccine series, and the coverage for at least two doses of the influenza vaccine was much lower at 61.3%.
According to newly released CDC data, US kindergarten vaccination rates for MMR, DTaP, and polio fell to about 92%. At the same time, exemption rates went up to 3.6%, likely fueling measles outbreaks in 40 states.
Disparities were clear across race, poverty, insurance type and geographic location, with the largest gaps in influenza vaccination and full-series completion.
To add to this, vaccine hesitancy continues to be a challenge, partly due to misinformation. Despite strong evidence from large-scale studies showing no link between vaccines and autism, the misconception persists. In 2025, Johns Hopkins experts reiterated that the discredited 1998 study linking the MMR vaccine to autism still fuels public distrust.
Let’s take a closer look at recent developments in vaccine research, rollout and setbacks, and what they reveal about where innovation is thriving and where challenges remain.
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Immunization Innovation from 2024 to 2025: What’s in Reach, and What Isn’t Yet
Vaccine progress is starting to catch up to diseases that were once hard to control. In 2023, the FDA approved Ixchiq, the first vaccine authorized in the US for chikungunya, a mosquito-borne illness that is common in parts of Latin America and Asia.
As we approach 2025, the vaccination landscape is burgeoning with new innovations that are influencing public health efforts around the globe.
COVID-19 and Respiratory Targets
Moderna’s mNEXSPIKE (mRNA-1283), a refrigerator-stable COVID-19 vaccine, received full FDA approval in May 2025 for adults aged 65 and older. Delivered in prefilled syringes, it aims to improve access and decrease administration burdens.
RSV Prevention Across Age Groups
Merck’s Enflonsia (clesrovimab) received FDA approval in June 2025 to protect infants from RSV during their first exposure season. This monoclonal antibody adds another option to the growing RSV prevention landscape.
Coronavirus & Emerging Threats
In March 2025, CEPI awarded $2.6 million to Uvax Bio to advance its nanoparticle-based MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) coronavirus vaccine into preclinical trials. The platform, 1c‑SApNP, mimics the virus structure and is designed for improved stability, supporting broader pandemic preparedness efforts.
Mosquito-Borne and Endemic Diseases
MSD launched a Phase III trial of its investigational dengue vaccine in 2025, aiming for broader protection in endemic regions. While the candidate has not been publicly named, the program shows ongoing global investment in dengue prevention.
CMV and Transplant-Related Immunization
Triplex, a therapeutic CMV vaccine developed by Fortress Biotech and City of Hope, entered Phase II trials in 2025. Supported by the US National Cancer Institute, the study looks at a novel approach: vaccinating stem cell donors to pass on CMV immunity to immunocompromised recipients.
Vaccine Program Terminations
GSK ended its Phase I/II trial of an investigational hepatitis B vaccine after it did not meet effectiveness benchmarks.
A Phase III trial of a vaccine for extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli, co-developed by Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi, was stopped after disappointing results in the 2025 interim analyses.
Global Vaccine Equity and Endemic Disease Response
Having vaccines for every preventable disease is important, but ensuring that everyone can access them is equally essential.
A clear example of this is Gavi’s malaria vaccine rollout, which continues to expand in 2025. More than 12 million doses have been given across 17 countries so far. A recent expansion into Uganda, Ethiopia, Guinea, Mali and Burundi is set to protect an additional 13 million children by the end of the year.
Infrastructure improvements also help make these vaccines easier to access. In South Sudan and Burundi, UNICEF’s solar-powered refrigerators, installed in previous years, continue to keep vaccines cold in facilities without reliable electricity.
Meanwhile, drone delivery networks like Zipline, which began in 2024 and are operating in Rwanda and other areas of sub-Saharan Africa, have addressed last-mile challenges, bringing vaccines to rural and hard-to-reach communities more quickly and reliably.
Put together, these efforts show how technology and local partnerships could level structural barriers.
As new tools and policies emerge, National Immunization Awareness Month 2025 is a reminder that immunization will remain a key aspect of modern public health.
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