In this season of colder weather and holiday gatherings, I’m grateful I received a COVID-19 booster shot as all adults are now eligible to do. (“Missouri opens coronavirus vaccine booster to all adults,” Nov. 20.) Full vaccination for our loved ones is the best way to protect our families, so we can exchange hugs instead of Zoom greetings.
We’re fortunate to have access to immunizations for coronavirus and other life-threatening diseases. Across Africa, less than 10% of the population has been fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Around the world, 1 in 5 children still lack access to basic vaccines for child killers like measles, polio and rotavirus. Sadly, that results in 1.5 million children dying each year of vaccine-preventable diseases. Everyone deserves to have access to the vaccines, no matter where they live.
