Child immunization is declining worldwide due to inequality, the COVID-19 pandemic and misinformation, putting lives at risk.

A study published in The Lancet highlights that childhood immunization has declined globally, hurt by economic inequality, the COVID-19 pandemic and misinformation. Since 1980, advances in immunization have saved millions of lives, but between 2020 and 2023, nearly 13 million children will go unvaccinated. Outbreaks of measles and polio are resurfacing, and the WHO's 2030 targets are becoming increasingly elusive. Bill Gates warns that the number of children dying could rise for the first time in decades.