World Immunization Week 2023

Vaccination saves lives, promotes well-being and protects functional ability throughout life. Vaccines4Life works to improve rates of vaccination globally and throughout the lifecourse, as a key contributor to healthy ageing.

This World Immunization Week, explore and share the projects and programs which aim to improve adult vaccination uptake and support countries across the globe to raise awareness of the value of vaccines and Immunization.

Under the theme of #TheBigCatchUp for #WorldImmunizationWeek2023, it’s time to catch-up on lost progress in essential immunization and ensure more people are protected from #VaccinePreventableDiseases.

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Improving Adult Vaccination Policy in Long-Term Care Settings

The results of the study help inform technical guidelines as well as governmental and civil society dialogue and policy actions to protect the health of LTC residents. A systematic review of government websites, peer-reviewed articles, and national peak organizations elicited information on immunization policies within federal aged care plans and national immunization guidelines and recommendations for older adults and residents of LTCFs across nineteen countries.

Adult Vaccination Advocacy Toolkit (AVAT)

As part of IFAs contribution to the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing and in response to a significant gap in evidence-based assets, the Adult Vaccination Advocacy Toolkit (AVAT) was developed help build the capacity and capability of civil society to influence and shape policy specific to the population they represent and country situation. The AVAT is a collection of authoritative and adaptable resources designed around four key policy issues that impact the rates of adult vaccination at an individual and population-based level.

Adult Pneumonia Vaccination in LTC Settings

Driving the Agenda of Pneumococcal Pneumonia Vaccination in At-risk Populations in Community and Long-term Care is a study that aims to inform vaccination policy in an effort to shine a light on a significant gap in the protection of the rights of older people. Pneumonia is a leading cause of hospitalization and death in Canada, with a high prevalence among populations most at-risk of serious complications from an infection.

Changing the Conversation on Adult Influenza Vaccination

Influenza, one of the most common infectious diseases, kills up to 650 000 people every year. Of these deaths, some 90% occur in people aged 65 years and older.[I]. While the influenza vaccine is a recommended action, rates of vaccination remains sub-optimal among older adults and those with weaker immune systems. This study showed unequivocally that insufficient attention is paid to implementing effective public health communication on adult influenza vaccination.

Influencing Adult Pneumonia Vaccination Policy

Across nearly two decades, deaths from pneumonia among adults more than 70 years of age increased by 60 %.¹ Pneumococcal pneumonia is vaccine preventable and recommended for older adults in many countries, yet vaccination uptake remains suboptimal in this group.

“Influencing Adult Pneumonia Vaccination Policy” assessed pneumonia vaccination policy, public health messages and campaigns for at-risk adult groups and older people across nine European countries with the ultimate goal of improving uptake rates of pneumonia vaccination and decreasing the burden of pneumonia among high-risk adults.