Britannica
Sources used in this answer
- vaccine - Benefits of vaccination
- infectious disease - Polio vaccine
- infant and toddler health
- herd immunity: Top Questions
- vaccine - Vaccine effectiveness
- School vaccine mandates - Pro 1: Vaccine-preventable diseases have not disappeared, so mandated vaccination is still necessary.
- School vaccine mandates - Pro 2: Vaccine mandates ensure the βherdβ is protected.
- childhood disease and disorder - Classic infectious diseases of childhood
How do vaccines reduce deaths among children under age five?
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childhood disease and disorder
Vaccines and the estimates of lives saved over the period 1974β2024.
Vaccines are a critical tool in reducing mortality among children under age five by preventing the spread of dangerous infectious diseases. Between 1974 and 2024, vaccines prevented an estimated 154 million deaths globally, 146 million of which were children under five years old.31
Vaccines reduce these deaths through two primary mechanisms:
- Direct Protection: By triggering an immune response, vaccines prepare the body to fight specific pathogens, such as measles, polio, and diphtheria, preventing the severe complications that can lead to death.234
- Herd Immunity: When a large proportion of a population is vaccinated, the transmission of a pathogen is significantly slowed or stopped. This indirectly protects vulnerable children who cannot be vaccinated due to age or underlying medical conditions by reducing their likelihood of coming into contact with an infectious individual.256
By accounting for approximately 40 percent of the global decline in infant mortality, immunization programs remain essential for protecting child health worldwide.31