Mapping routine measles vaccination in low- and middle-income countries

Abstract The safe, highly effective measles vaccine has been recommended globally since 1974, yet in 2017 there were more than 17 million cases of measles and 83,400 deaths in children under 5 years old, and more than 99% of both occurred in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) 1–4 . Globally comparable, annual, local estimates of routine first-dose measles-containing vaccine (MCV1) coverage are critical for understanding geographically precise immunity patterns, progress towards the targets of the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP), and high-risk areas amid disruptions to vaccination programmes caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) 5–8 . Here we generated annual estimates of routine childhood MCV1 coverage at 5 × 5-km 2 pixel and second administrative levels from 2000 to 2019…