Vaccines and immunization

An Undergraduate Library Subject Guide providing suggested resources and other information for beginning research on the topic Vaccines and immunization.

Overview
Immunization is a global health and development success story, saving millions of lives every year. Vaccines reduce risks of getting a disease by working with your body’s natural defences to build protection. When you get a vaccine, your immune system responds.

We now have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life-threatening diseases, helping people of all ages live longer, healthier lives. Immunization currently prevents million deaths every year from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, influenza and measles.

Immunization is a key component of primary health care and an indisputable human right. It’s also one of the best health investments money can buy. Vaccines are also critical to the prevention and control of infectious disease outbreaks. They underpin global health security and will be a vital tool in the battle against antimicrobial resistance. The Covid-19 pandemic, associated disruptions, and Covid-19 vaccination efforts strained health systems in 2020 and 2021, resulting in dramatic setbacks. However, from a global perspective recovery is on the horizon -  in 2022 diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DTP) immunization coverage, albeit unevenly between countries, has almost recovered to 2019 levels.

Measles, because of its high transmissibility, acts as a “canary in the coalmine”, quickly exposing any immunity gaps in the population. You can view Immunization Uganda 2023 country profile