Vaccines have been protecting us from deadly diseases since the late 1700’s. They are essential to public health, wellness in our communities and health across the globe.
7 Facts About Immunization
- Immunization prevents 2-3 million deaths per year.
- In 2019, 19.4 million children under 1 did not receive vaccinations.
- 42,000 adults die each year from vaccine preventable diseases.
- It takes about 12 years to create a new vaccine.
- Proper storage is a critical element in maintaining vaccine potency.
- Vaccines are effective in 85-95% of recipients.
- CDC recommends the use of purpose-built refrigerators
Vaccines are a crucial component preventing the death of millions every year, yet in 2019, almost 20 million children under one year of age, did not receive vaccinations. Diseases that some of us in the United States have forgotten about, still kill over 40,000 adults each year.
Vaccines are proven effective in 85-95% of recipients. The more people that receive vaccinations, the more our population is protected through herd immunity.
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It takes about 12 years to create a vaccine from start to finish. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has a great resource that explains the process from development to mass administration.
To maintain vaccine effectiveness, the vaccine cold chain must be maintained. It begins with the manufacturer and ends with the vaccine administration site. If the vaccine cold chain is not maintained, the vaccine will lose potency and become ineffective.
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For this reason, proper vaccine storage and handling is essential. The CDC recommends the use of purpose-built or pharmaceutical-grade refrigerators for storing vaccines. Learn more about our vaccine refrigerators and freezers at the link below.
References:
“Immunization Coverage.” World Health Organization, Dec. 2019, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/immunization-coverage.
“Immunization and Infectious Diseases.” HealthyPeople.gov, www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/immunization-and-infectious-diseases.
“Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit.” CDC, Jan. 2019, cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/admin/storage/toolkit/storage-handling-toolkit.pdf.
“Immunization and Infectious Diseases.” HealthyPeople.gov, www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/immunization-and-infectious-diseases.
