Research from the Partnership for International Vaccine Initiatives and the CDC shows countries with mature influenza vaccination programs reached 46% COVID-19 vaccination coverage after one year, compared with 25% in countries without such systems

ATLANTA, April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Countries that invested in seasonal influenza vaccination programs for health workers prior to the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly better positioned to deploy COVID-19 vaccines rapidly and effectively, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the Partnership for International Vaccine Initiatives (PIVI) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Published in the peer-reviewed journal Vaccines, the study analyzed COVID-19 vaccine uptake data and influenza immunization program information from 60 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), as well as data from CDC-supported field evaluations in 16 countries across multiple geographic regions.

“These findings underscore the role of mature seasonal health worker influenza vaccination programs in support of effective and timely vaccination during a pandemic, enabling a country to effectively implement its pandemic vaccination program and reach targeted populations more quickly,” the study authors wrote.

Key findings include:

• Higher vaccination coverage: One year after rollout, countries with pre-existing influenza programs reached 46% COVID-19 vaccination coverage, compared with 25% in countries without such programs — 2.5 times higher coverage overall.
• Faster rollout: 25% of countries with established influenza vaccination programs began COVID-19 vaccination by January 2021, compared with just 8% of countries without such programs.
• Earlier launches in upper-middle-income countries: In upper-middle-income countries, 13% of those with influenza vaccination programs began vaccinating as early as December 2020, compared with none of the countries without such programs.

The researchers found that countries leveraged influenza-specific infrastructure – including cold-chain systems, trained personnel, delivery networks, and adapted pandemic response plans – to accelerate COVID-19 vaccine deployment. These pre-existing systems reduced the time needed to develop new vaccine delivery mechanisms during the global emergency.

Dr. Joseph Bresee, Director of the Partnership for International Vaccine Initiatives at The Task Force for Global Health, highlighted the broader significance of these findings for global health investment:

“It is extremely important not only to focus on a specific disease, but to strengthen entire health systems,” Dr. Bresee said. “Investing in foundational infrastructure – such as vaccination delivery and surveillance systems – ensures countries can respond effectively when new threats emerge.”

The release of this exciting report coincides with World Immunization Week, an annual global health campaign highlighting the life-saving value of immunizations.

About the Partnership for International Vaccine Initiatives (PIVI)

The Partnership for International Vaccine Initiatives (PIVI) is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening sustainable vaccination systems and advancing pandemic preparedness worldwide. PIVI works alongside governments, multilateral institutions, and in-country partners to protect high-risk populations, particularly health workers, and transform seasonal vaccination programs into scalable preparedness infrastructure capable of responding to future public health emergencies. To learn more, visit PIVIPartners.org.

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SOURCE Partnership for International Vaccine Initiatives