Closing Immunization Gaps: Coverage, Vaccine Uptake, and Evidence-Based Strategies in Global Public Health

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on practical strategies to improve vaccination rates and reduce inequities in immunization. We invite submissions that examine the reasons for persistent coverage gaps, particularly among zero-dose and under-immunized groups, and how factors such as vaccine acceptance, access barriers, health system constraints, and misinformation

interact across contexts. We encourage studies that evaluate targeted strategies and policies to increase vaccination rates among populations disproportionately affected by health and social vulnerabilities.

As for study type, we welcome original research and invite reviews and meta-analyses. The aim of this Special Issue is to support public health professionals, policymakers, and healthcare providers by consolidating rigorous evidence and scalable, equity-oriented solutions to strengthen immunization programs and accelerate progress toward higher and more equitable coverage.

Dr. Álvaro Francisco Lopes De Sousa
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Vaccines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.