Webinar Recap: Vaccination Across Lifespans — Understanding Adult and Infant Immunisation Needs April 3, 2025
- Rodrigo Scotini
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
On April 3, 2025, the Infectious Disease Alliance (IDA) hosted the webinar “Vaccination Across Lifespans: Understanding Adult and Infant Immunisation Needs,” convening leading experts from across the globe to discuss integrated strategies for expanding vaccine coverage from infancy to older adulthood.
Key Topics Discussed:
Life-course immunisation strategies
Barriers to adult and infant vaccine uptake
Community-based vaccination programs
Tackling vaccine hesitancy and misinformation
Speakers Included:
Dr. Bolette Søborg, Deputy Director and Head of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, Statens Serum Institut (Denmark)
Dr. Litjen (L.J.) Tan, Chief Policy and Partnerships Officer, Immunize.org (USA)
Esong Sandra, Executive Director, GooFirm (Cameroon)
Dr. Catherine Weil-Olivier, Board Member, Coalition for Life-Course Immunisation (France)
Highlights & Takeaways
Danish Perspective on Life-Course Immunisation — Dr. Søborg Despite the absence of a formal adult vaccination strategy in Denmark, Dr. Søborg highlighted the country’s strong child vaccine coverage and trust in public health. She stressed the need to address barriers like low adult risk perception and called for integrated health plans that support adult immunisation.
Overcoming Systemic Barriers — Dr. Tan Dr. Tan outlined a comprehensive approach to improving adult immunisation: system-level improvements, empowering healthcare workers, tailoring patient communication, and eliminating policy and financial obstacles. He championed year-round adult vaccination strategies and trusted provider recommendations.
Community-Based Solutions — Esong Sandra Esong Sandra showcased effective outreach strategies in underserved communities, including mobile clinics, social media campaigns, and incentives like linking vaccination to food distribution. She emphasized integrating services and empowering community leaders to improve trust and coverage.
Vaccinating Older Adults — Dr. Weil-Olivier Dr. Weil-Olivier called attention to the challenges of aging populations and immunosenescence. While France recently expanded routine adult vaccines, uptake remains low. She recommended better public communication, expanding the role of non-physician vaccinators, and youth-oriented outreach.
Q&A Session
Moderated by Dr. Norman Begg, IDA Vaccine-Preventable Disease Committee Advisor, the Q&A provided deeper insights from all four speakers:
Dr. Søborg discussed Denmark’s success in addressing HPV hesitancy, noting the strategy’s adaptation in France.
Dr. Tan emphasized empowering providers to actively recommend vaccines and embedding reminders into clinical workflows.
Esong Sandra shared community-based strategies in Cameroon for encouraging pregnant women to vaccinate through Universal Health Coverage programs.
Dr. Weil-Olivier addressed the paradox of declining hesitancy among adults but rising concerns in youth, stressing the role of adolescent-friendly messaging like short videos to boost uptake.
Key Stats
Attendees Registered: 33
Live Participants: 25
Geographic Reach: Europe, Africa, North America, and Asia
Watch the Recording
Looking Ahead
IDA will continue engagement through:
Post-event communication and reporting
Network development for ongoing collaboration
Future webinars and workshops on vaccine-preventable diseases
Call to Action
IDA urges stakeholders to:
Embed vaccination across lifespans into health policies
Counter misinformation with trusted, evidence-based messaging
Increase investments in vaccine infrastructure and equitable access
Mobilize communities and healthcare providers to advocate for routine adult and infant immunisation
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