"Before routine vaccines were developed in the 1900s, many children did not survive to adulthood and many adults did not reach old age. People succumbed in large numbers to diseases such as whooping cough and measles. Through the implementation of routine vaccination, many more children now reach adulthood and can contribute to society. Although some childhood diseases are for the most part relegated to history, the viruses responsible still sporadically cause outbreaks in unvaccinated populations."
"This year in Texas, for example, a measles outbreak resulted in 762 infections, 99 hospitalizations and 2 deaths between January and August. Of those infected individuals, 718 were unvaccinated - including the 2 people who died. Moreover, outbreaks of other diseases for which vaccines exist still occur every year. For example, there were 40 million cases of flu and 28,000 deaths in the United States during the 2023-2024 flu season."
Routine vaccination greatly increased survival to adulthood by preventing diseases that previously killed many children and adults, including whooping cough and measles. Outbreaks continue to occur mainly in unvaccinated groups, as shown by a Texas measles event causing hundreds of infections, numerous hospitalizations and deaths. Influenza remains a major annual burden with millions of cases and tens of thousands of deaths. Current flu vaccines, produced with 1960s technology, have variable efficacy of 20–60% because influenza viruses mutate rapidly, necessitating frequent updates and complicating strain selection. Investment in innovative vaccine technologies is urgently needed.
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