Millions of children at risk as global vaccine rates fall, study finds
GuardianJUN 23
Global Child Vaccination Rates Stall, Millions at Risk
Above: A health worker gives a dose of polio vaccine to a child in Kabul, Afghanistan, on April 21, 2025. Image copyright: Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
When individual choice endangers innocent lives, it ceases to be valid. Plummeting vaccination rates have unleashed preventable diseases, threatening vulnerable children who cannot protect themselves. Society must prioritize collective safety over personal preference — mandatory vaccination isn't tyranny, it's a moral obligation.
Narrative B
Compulsion breeds distrust, not compliance. Threatened families retreat from mainstream medicine entirely, exploiting loopholes while damaging doctor-patient relationships. Countries without mandates achieve higher rates through compassionate care and trust-building. Force fractures the very foundation upon which successful immunization programs depend.