Vaccination coverage refers to which of the following?

• A. The proportion immunized in a group.
• B. The cost of vaccines in a population.
• C. The duration of immunity after vaccination.
• D. The number of vaccines produced.

Answer: (A)

Vaccination coverage is the proportion of people in a target group who have received a vaccine. It reflects how effectively a vaccination program reaches and protects the population, not the cost of vaccines, how long immunity lasts, or how many vaccines are produced. By expressing coverage as a percentage, public health officials can see how close a community is to providing protection to most of its people and gauge the potential for herd immunity. For example, if 900 out of 1,000 children in a district have received a vaccine, the coverage is 90%. High coverage reduces the chance of outbreaks, while low coverage leaves groups at risk even if the vaccine itself is effective.