Vaccines are one of the most effective public health interventions ever developed. They significantly reduce the burden of infectious diseases, prevent outbreaks and save millions of lives. Specifically, over the last 50 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 154 million lives have been saved by immunizations, that is an estimated 6 lives every minute of every year. Despite the well-established research supporting their safety and effectiveness, the reluctance and refusal to vaccinate by some remains a challenge, often caused by mis- and disinformation, distrust within healthcare systems and unawareness of disease risks.
“Recent disruptions to the vaccine recommendation process – such as bypassing the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to issue a vaccine recommendation – is unprecedented and alarming,” said Dr. Albert Rizzo, Chief Medical Officer of the American Lung Association. “The abrupt removal of committee members and their replacement with individuals who lack immunization expertise or who have expressed strong vaccine-hesitant views threatens the scientific integrity of the process. These actions undermine decades of trust in how vaccine recommendations are made and put people’s lives at risk.”
Vaccination has been proven to be a key preventative measure against highly contagious and potentially deadly diseases like flu, COVID-19, pneumococcal pneumonia and pertussis. We looked at the burden these respiratory illnesses continue to cause in the United States, and how effective vaccines help lessen the health impacts.
Flu
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year between 5-20% of the U.S. population gets the flu, leading to an estimated 120,000 to 710,000 hospitalizations, and 6,300 to 52,000 deaths annually. The CDC categorized the recent 2024-2025 flu season as high severity for all ages groups, which is a level that hasn’t been seen since the 2017-2018 season. Additionally, the CDC reported 261 pediatric deaths during the 2024-2025 flu season, which is the highest number of pediatric flu deaths during a non-pandemic season since it became reportable in 2004. Annual flu vaccination is recommended for everyone six months and older to help prevent the flu and reduce the risk of severe complications and illness. Because the flu virus is constantly changing, each year, scientists work hard to identify the strains that they believe will cause the most illness, and a new vaccine is made based on those recommendations.
COVID-19
COVID-19 vaccines have significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization and death by helping people develop immunity against the virus. According to CDC data from 2023, unvaccinated individuals were 6x more likely to be hospitalized and 12x more likely to die from COVID-19 than those who were fully vaccinated and boosted. During the 2023-24 respiratory season, COVID-19 vaccination prevented 68,000 hospitalizations, 13,000 ICU admissions and 5,300 in-hospital deaths and could likely have prevented more if vaccination rates were higher.
Anyone can get COVID-19, but certain individuals, like older adults, are at higher risk of severe illness. According to the CDC, more than 81% of COVID-19 deaths occur in people over age 65. Additionally, people who are immunocompromised, people who are pregnant and people with chronic medical conditions are also at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness. “As a pulmonary and critical care physician who has been caring for COVID patients in the ICU for the last five years, COVID hasn't gone away. And taking away the ability for healthy people to get vaccinated doesn't make sense from a medical standpoint,” said Dr. Hill, the chair of the American Lung Association board of directors.
Pneumococcal Pneumonia
Pneumococcal pneumonia is the most common type of bacterial pneumonia, and while anyone can get it, it is especially dangerous for infants, older adults and people with certain underlying medical conditions like chronic lung, heart, liver and kidney disease, diabetes or a weakened immune system. Pneumococcal pneumonia leads to approximately 150,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. every year. Adults 50 years or older are at 6.4x greater risk for pneumococcal pneumonia compared to adults aged 18-49, while adults 65 and older are over 10x more likely to be hospitalized with pneumococcal pneumonia. Adults should talk with their healthcare provider to determine if pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for them and those they care for.
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
Pertussis (commonly known as whooping cough) can affect people of all ages, but most commonly occurs in infants and young children. According to the CDC, about 1 in 3 babies younger than 1 who contract pertussis will require hospitalization, and around 1 in 100 will die. Before the introduction of the pertussis vaccine in 1940, pertussis was the leading cause of childhood illness and death in the U.S. Whooping cough vaccines work well and have dramatically reduced cases, with individuals who get whooping cough after being vaccinated having milder illness. Recently, we’ve seen cases trend higher. According to the CDC, in 2024, reported pertussis cases increased across the U.S., with more than six times as many cases reported compared to 2023. In 2024, there were more cases of pertussis than we’d seen since 2012. Currently, cases remain elevated. “Pertussis complications can be severe, but there are vaccines available. This is why everyone eligible should be up to date on their vaccination and seek treatment early if they develop whooping cough symptoms, as we have good antibiotics to treat pertussis,” said Dr. Mora, CEO of Chicago Allergy Center. Dr. Mora spoke to us more about whooping cough previously on our blog.
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Benefits of Vaccines
Beyond individual risk, vaccine-preventable diseases strain healthcare systems and have a significant economic impact due to of the influx of patients to hospitals, associated costs with lost productivity, quality of care and outpatient visits. Vaccines are lifesaving. The Lung Association and other public health experts urge everyone to stay up to date on recommended vaccinations to protect individual health, reduce the spread of dangerous diseases, and help prevent avoidable hospitalizations, long-term complications and death.
"The lower the vaccine rates the more vulnerable the population is to sustained outbreaks and epidemics. Vaccination should be given based on scientific data and expert recommendations. Patients should discuss vaccination with their physician at every health care visit and make informed decisions as to whether they need to receive a given vaccine," Dr. Hill concluded.
Blog last updated: July 29, 2025
