Sanofi Pasteur India, the vaccine division of Sanofi announced the launch of VaxLine, a 24X7 helpline, that provides online and offline support to empower parents with detailed information on managing vaccination of their babies and children during and post the COVID-19 pandemic.

VaxLine is a tele-counselling facility that registers a parent's missed call and allows a VaxLine health expert to return the call within 24 hours. The VaxLine website addresses questions on interrupted vaccination and routine immunization including guidance on what parents can do till they restart the vaccination schedule of their children.

Annapurna Das, Country Head India, Cluster Head South Asia, Sanofi Pasteur said, "The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live our daily lives. Visits to the pediatricians have been interrupted. Disruption to routine immunizations, even for brief periods, could increase vulnerability of partially vaccinated children to vaccine preventable diseases."

She has further said, "VaxLine is our endeavour to address the needs of anxious parents on managing delayed immunization. While delayed vaccination is manageable, parents need to be aware that irrespective of schools re-opening, it is important that they plan catch-up vaccination as soon as it is feasible and safe."

As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), immunization is an essential health service and should be continued even during the current pandemic. The Ministry has also issued guidelines on vaccination during COVID-19 period.

We are often unaware of the impact that infectious diseases can have on ourselves and our loved ones. Ongoing vaccination is a crucial cornerstone in keeping our communities healthy, especially when you consider that vaccines are often the best, if not, the only way to protect us from many serious infectious diseases at every stage of life.

Vaccination can help to protect our loved ones as they age. This is especially important as aging is associated with a higher prevalence of chronic conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which can be worsened by infectious diseases. For example, people aged over 65 are also at a higher risk of severe influenza complications, with the majority of deaths from influenza occurring in this age group, making it even more important to be vaccinated throughout and later in life.