In the face of a worrying trend where an increasing number of parents are choosing not to vaccinate their children, it’s crucial to remember the profound impact vaccinations have had on global health. As highlighted in Hannah Ritchie’s recent article, vaccines have been nothing short of miraculous, saving an estimated 150 million children over the past 50 years. That’s a child’s life saved every ten seconds from a potentially fatal disease.

This staggering number is more than double the population of the United Kingdom, representing countless families who have been spared the unimaginable grief of losing a child. The research by Andrew Shattock and colleagues provides a clear visualization of the lives saved, with measles vaccinations alone accounting for 94 million lives, over 60% of the total.

As we witness a resurgence of measles, a disease once on the brink of eradication, the importance of vaccination cannot be overstated. Each shot not only protects the individual child but also fortifies the community against outbreaks. It’s a shield that guards our most vulnerable and ensures that children can grow, thrive, and contribute to the world.

The evidence is clear: vaccinations work. They are one of the most cost-effective health interventions, preventing hospitalizations, reducing the strain on healthcare systems, and enabling a healthier, more productive society. It’s a legacy of health that we must continue to uphold for the sake of our children and future generations.

The expansion of worldwide immunization programs has been a cornerstone in the dramatic decline of infant mortality rates over the past half-century. From a global perspective, these rates have seen a remarkable reduction, plummeting by over two-thirds from approximately 10% in 1974 to less than 3% today. This monumental achievement is attributed to vaccines, which are estimated to account for 40% of this decline.

The remaining 60% is credited to advancements in other critical areas such as nutrition, prenatal and neonatal care, and the availability of clean water and sanitation. Despite these strides, the journey towards eradicating preventable diseases is far from over.

Every year, over a million lives are lost to tuberculosis, with hundreds of thousands more succumbing to meningitis and whooping cough. Measles, tetanus, and hepatitis B continue to claim tens of thousands of lives—lives that could be saved through vaccination. The world stands on the cusp of eradicating polio, which would mark it as the second human disease to be completely eliminated after smallpox.

Let’s not regress to a time where diseases like measles were common killers. Instead, let’s embrace the power of vaccines to continue saving lives every ten seconds. It’s a choice that echoes through the lifetimes of millions of children, a choice that reflects our commitment to a healthier, brighter future for all.