Trevor James
The United States' vaccination rates and policies have been a topic of discussion and concern, especially in recent years. While the US has been one of the biggest supporters of global vaccination efforts, there have been recent setbacks, such as funding cuts and withdrawals from international vaccine alliances. The US also faces challenges with vaccine hesitancy and childhood vaccination policies, which vary across different vaccines and states. Comparing the US to other countries, the HPV vaccination rates are lower than in Australia, Singapore, and the UK, which offer the vaccine for free in schools. The US also saw a decline in polio vaccination rates between 2018 and 2021, while other countries like Australia, Germany, and Singapore maintained steady rates.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Global immunization rate | 85% |
| Number of countries with data available | 195 |
| Number of diseases considered | 16 |
| Countries with higher HPV vaccination rates | Australia, Singapore, the U.K. |
| Countries with lower HPV vaccination rates | Germany, the U.S. |
| Countries with higher polio vaccination rates | Australia, Germany, Singapore |
| Countries with lower polio vaccination rates | U.S., U.K. |
| Countries with higher MMR vaccination rates | Australia, U.K., U.S. |
| Countries with lower MMR vaccination rates | N/A |
| Countries with higher COVID-19 vaccination rates | N/A |
| Countries with lower COVID-19 vaccination rates | China |
| Countries with higher COVID-19 testing rates | N/A |
| Countries with lower COVID-19 testing rates | China |
| Countries that offer free COVID-19 vaccines | Saudi Arabia |
| Countries that have cut funding for vaccine programs | U.S. |
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What You'll Learn
- The US has pulled funding from global vaccines group Gavi, affecting 1 billion children
- The US has cut funding for vaccine rollout and surveillance, threatening global progress
- The US has lower HPV vaccination rates than Australia, Singapore, and the UK
- The US has higher polio vaccination rates than the UK, but lower than Australia, Germany, and Singapore
- The US has higher vaccine hesitancy than other countries, including for COVID-19
The US has pulled funding from global vaccines group Gavi, affecting 1 billion children
The US has historically been one of the biggest supporters of Gavi, pledging $1 billion through 2030 before President Donald Trump's re-election. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is a public-private partnership that includes the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, and the World Bank. Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has immunized more than 1 billion children in 78 countries, saving an estimated 18 million lives. Gavi supports vaccines for about 20 infectious diseases, including measles, malaria, HPV, and Ebola.
However, in 2025, the US Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced that the country would be withdrawing its support for Gavi, stating that the organization had "ignored the science" and "lost the public trust." Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, criticized Gavi for its partnership with the WHO during COVID-19 and accused them of silencing "dissenting views" and "legitimate questions" about vaccine safety. He specifically targeted the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine, which has been deemed safe and effective by health agencies, and claimed that it increased mortality rates among young girls, although no causal connection has been proven.
The decision to defund Gavi has been widely criticized by doctors and health organizations, who warn that it will put millions of children at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, called the decision "incredibly dangerous." Mihir Mankad, the charity's global health advocacy and policy director in the US, stated that "countless children will die from vaccine-preventable diseases" as a result of the funding cut. Bill Gates, whose foundation helped create Gavi, also urged Congress to reverse the decision, highlighting the potential impact on children's health and education.
Despite the loss of US support, Gavi has received pledges of more than $9 billion for its next five-year strategic period from 2026 to 2030, including significant contributions from the Gates Foundation and other donors. However, the funding shortfall will still leave millions of children unvaccinated, particularly in lower-income countries, and increase health security risks globally.
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The US has cut funding for vaccine rollout and surveillance, threatening global progress
The United States has been criticized for its stance on vaccines, with the government cutting funding for vaccine rollout and surveillance, threatening global progress. While most countries are trying to fight vaccine hesitancy with science and investment, the US has been moving in the opposite direction. The US government's actions have been described as a threat to global immunization progress, which currently stands at 85%.
The Trump Administration's withdrawal from the World Health Organization and the subsequent dismantling of USAID, as well as budget cuts in institutions like the National Institutes of Health and the US Centers for Disease Control, have disrupted the ability to respond to outbreaks in nearly 50 countries. These actions have contributed to the global immunization coverage gap, which has led to outbreaks of measles and other diseases.
The US has also been an outlier in terms of public opinion and government action on vaccines. While public opinion still favors vaccination, the government, under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has stripped away support for vaccine development, promotion, and distribution. Kennedy has defunded vaccine research, replaced vaccine experts with critics on advisory panels, and limited access to vaccines, causing confusion and eroding vaccine confidence worldwide.
The US is not alone in its challenges with vaccination policies and rates. A study by the Genetic Literacy Project compared vaccination policies and rates in five high-income countries: Australia, Germany, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The study found that childhood vaccination policies varied across these countries and by vaccine type. For example, Australia, Singapore, and the US require polio and MMR vaccinations for school attendance, while Germany only requires MMR.
The US has also seen a decline in polio vaccination rates between 2018 and 2021, along with the UK, while other countries like Australia, Germany, and Singapore maintained steady rates. Additionally, HPV vaccination rates are lower in the US compared to countries like Australia, Singapore, and the UK, which offer the vaccine for free in schools.
The undermining of public confidence and federal funding for mRNA vaccine research in the US is concerning, as this technology has huge potential for treating emerging pathogens and other diseases like cancer and HIV. The cancellation of funding for mRNA vaccine development could stall progress and make the US less prepared to respond to future pandemics or outbreaks.
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The US has lower HPV vaccination rates than Australia, Singapore, and the UK
The United States has lower HPV vaccination rates than Australia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. This is despite the fact that the US has higher childhood vaccination rates for polio and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) near or above the herd immunity threshold. The US also has higher vaccination rates than Germany, which has similarly low HPV vaccination rates.
Australia, Singapore, and the UK offer HPV vaccines for free in schools, which has been shown to increase uptake. In contrast, the US does not offer free HPV vaccines in schools, which may contribute to its lower vaccination rates. School-based vaccination programs have been identified as a potential strategy to boost HPV vaccination rates, particularly when combined with vaccine mandates.
Australia and Singapore have the strictest vaccine requirements and boasted the highest polio vaccination rates in both 2018 and 2021. These countries also combine vaccine requirements with financial incentives, which may contribute to their high vaccination rates. The UK, on the other hand, has voluntary vaccination, but has implemented school-based catch-up campaigns to boost polio vaccination rates.
While the US has seen an increase in HPV vaccination rates, they still lag behind Australia, Singapore, and the UK. The US has also faced challenges with vaccine hesitancy, particularly in the context of measles outbreaks and cases of whooping cough and polio among children and young adults. To address these concerns, financial incentives and community engagement from trusted sources have been proposed as potential strategies to increase vaccination rates in the US.
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The US has higher polio vaccination rates than the UK, but lower than Australia, Germany, and Singapore
While vaccination rates fell worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, the US maintained high childhood vaccination rates for polio, near or above the herd immunity threshold of 80%. In comparison to other countries, the US has higher polio vaccination rates than the UK but lower rates than Australia, Germany, and Singapore.
Australia, Singapore, and the US require polio vaccinations for children to attend school, while Germany does not have this requirement. As a result, Germany has lower polio vaccination rates than the US. Australia and Singapore, which have the strictest vaccine requirements, boasted the highest polio vaccination rates in both 2018 and 2021.
Vaccine hesitancy is a growing concern in the US, especially with recent outbreaks of measles and cases of whooping cough and polio among children and young adults. To address this, the US can consider implementing strategies such as financial incentives, improved communication and community engagement from trusted sources, and school-based catch-up programs to boost lagging immunization rates.
The UK has also taken steps to increase polio vaccination rates. In 2022, London launched a voluntary catch-up campaign in primary schools targeting children who had not received the polio vaccine at the recommended age. This strategy suggests that school-based vaccination can play a crucial role in improving vaccination rates.
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The US has higher vaccine hesitancy than other countries, including for COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic saw a fall in vaccination rates worldwide, including in the United States. However, the US has demonstrated higher vaccine hesitancy than many other countries, including for COVID-19 vaccines.
A survey by Morning Consult found that 17% of US adults did not intend to get COVID-19 shots, and another 10% were unsure, indicating that over a quarter of Americans are vaccine-hesitant. This gave the US the second-highest vaccine hesitancy rate out of 15 high-income countries. Another ranking by Our World in Data placed the US above 13 other high-income nations in terms of vaccine hesitancy.
A February 2021 analysis found that vaccine acceptance rates in Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and China were nearly double those of Italy, Russia, Poland, the US, and France, which averaged 56%. A July 2021 study also showed that COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates were lower in the US and Russia than in less wealthy countries.
The US has also experienced issues with childhood vaccination rates, which fell during the COVID-19 pandemic. This may be related to differences in vaccine eligibility, hesitancy, and administration programs across countries. The US has seen outbreaks of measles and cases of whooping cough and polio among children and young adults, which have been attributed to increasing vaccine hesitancy.
To address vaccine hesitancy, public health messaging, community engagement, and building trust in healthcare systems are crucial. Improving vaccine knowledge and emphasizing vaccine efficacy may also help to increase vaccine uptake. Financial incentives and offering vaccines in school settings have been suggested as strategies to boost vaccination rates in the US.
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Frequently asked questions
The US has vaccinated more people with COVID-19 vaccines than any other country in the world. However, this may be due to the country's higher number of vaccination centres. The US also has higher HPV vaccination rates than Germany, but lower rates than Australia, Singapore, and the UK, which offer the vaccine for free in schools.
The global childhood vaccination rate in 2024 was 85%, with 85% of infants and children receiving three doses of the vaccine for diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus. The US has higher polio vaccination rates than Germany and Singapore, but lower rates than Australia and the UK.
Vaccine hesitancy is a growing concern in the US, especially with recent outbreaks of measles and cases of whooping cough and polio. Financial incentives and communication strategies from trusted sources could help increase vaccination rates. Additionally, the US has cut funding for global health programs, impacting immunization services in low-income countries.
