Vaccine gap widens for children amid pandemic

According to a recent report published by the World Health Organization and UNICEF 23 million children missed basic vaccines through routine immunization services in 2020—which is 3.7 million more than in 2019.

It’s also been reported that 40% of parents in the United States say their children missed routine vaccines in 2020.

On Wednesday’s edition of “Closer Look,” Dr. Zsakeba Henderson, the senior vice president and deputy chief medical and health officer for March Of Dimes, leading the Office of Maternal and Child Health Impact, discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has made the vaccine gap wider for children, especially for children of color and those who live in low-income households and rural communities.