CHEARS

There is a great decline in the number of children receiving life saving vaccines around the world because of the interruptions in the delivery of immunization services due to COVID-19 pandemic. Data suggest that in the first four months of the year 2020, there is a drop in the number of children who are completing the 3 doses of vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3). This reduction of DTP3 coverage was seen for the first time in 28 years. The deaths due to lack of immunization may be much more than the deaths due to COVID-19. Even if the services are provided or offered people may not have access to it. The disruption in the immunization services may differ from unwillingness of the people to leave their home, economic deprivation, restriction to movement or the fear of being exposed to COVID-19. In this current scenario even health workers are not available for carrying out these duties due to restriction in travel as well as lack of protective equipments. Due to these hardships WHO and UNICEF are lending hands to support the countries in order to restore the immunization facility by ensuring safer delivery of vaccines during COVID-19 pandmeic as well as by maintaining proper hygiene and social distancing.