Tuesday, May 3, 2022 | 2 a.m.
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As the wife of an Army veteran and a relative of many family members who have been or are currently in the armed forces, service to our country is very important to me. To serve, one must be healthy, and I am grateful for the vaccines that protect my loved ones from disease and keep them healthy. Global vaccination efforts can also help protect them. Healthy countries are stable countries.
Not only does preventing infectious diseases overseas protect Americans at home and abroad, U.S. government funding for immunization activities helps nations build strong health systems to respond to disease outbreaks more efficiently. Stopping a disease at its source before it can spread not only saves lives, but it is also more economical.
Global vaccines are one of the most cost-effective investments the U.S. government can make to save the lives of children in developing countries. A study published in Health Affairs found that, on average, every dollar invested in immunization produces $44 in savings in health care costs, lost wages and productivity due to illness.
Funding for global vaccine programs is significantly less than 1% of the U.S. federal budget, according to Shot@Life, a campaign of the UN Foundation.
Please contact Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen to let them know that expanding vaccine access for children around the world is not only the right thing to do, but it is necessary for our national security.
