THE WORLD Health Organization (WHO)  has developed new guidelines on immunization following the spread of COVID-19.

The publication of  the guidelines follows the start of this year’s Africa Vaccination Week.

The guidelines recommend that countries temporarily pause preventive mass vaccination campaigns but urge countries to prioritize the continuation of routine immunization of children as well as adult vaccinations for viruses such as influenza for groups most at risk.

Disruption to vaccinations

WHO and a number of health organisations have expressed concern that  the COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant disruption to vaccination efforts and to the surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases on the continent. 

Previous disease outbreaks in Africa and humanitarian emergencies have highlighted  the importance of maintaining immunization services. 

Even brief interruptions of vaccination activities make outbreaks more likely to occur, putting children and other vulnerable groups more at risk of life-threatening diseases. 

Recent years has seen Africa experience a resurgence of measles. 

But measles preventive mass vaccination campaigns in Chad, Ethiopia, Nigeria and South Sudan have been suspended because of COVID-19, leaving around 21 million children who would have been vaccinated, unprotected.

Protecting children

Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa said: “While the complexity and breadth of the COVID-19 response is unprecedented, we must continue to protect African children against vaccine-preventable diseases. Let us not be blind-sided by COVID-19 and let down our guard against measles and other childhood threats.”

The 2020 Africa Vaccination Week theme is #Vaccines Work for All.  

The campaign will focus on how vaccines – and the people who develop, deliver and receive them – are working to protect the health of everyone.

It will also highlight the value of vaccines for the health of children and communities even in the context of COVID-19.