UNICEF and WHO warned of a “perfect storm” of conditions for measles outbreaks, with worldwide measles cases increasing 79% in the first two months of 2022, compared to the same period last year. According to the two United Nations agencies, pandemic-related disruptions, growing inequalities in access to vaccines, and the diversion of resources from routine immunization programs are leaving too many children without protection against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
As of April 1, 57 vaccine-preventable disease campaigns remain postponed due to the pandemic. The postponements span 43 countries, impacting 203 million people, most of them children. Nineteen of these are measles campaigns, putting 73 million children at risk of the disease due to missed vaccinations. WHO