Andrea Romero, Immunization Program Manager at the New Mexico Department of Health, said in a public announcement that vaccines are crucial for safeguarding children's health by eradicating deadly childhood diseases that once claimed thousands of lives annually in the United States.
"Safe and effective immunizations have dramatically reduced – and in some cases, eliminated – dangerous childhood diseases," said Romero. "That once claimed thousands of young lives in the United States every year."
The New Mexico Department of Health is spearheading the 2025 "Got Shots" campaign, which offers free back-to-school vaccinations for children aged 0–18 across 68 participating sites statewide. According to the department, this initiative will run from June 14 to August 30 and includes public health offices, community health centers, and private practices providing immunizations at no cost, regardless of insurance or patient status. The department is partnering with the New Mexico Immunization Coalition, Primary Care Association, and various healthcare insurers to ensure timely access to vaccines. This includes clinics with evening and weekend hours.
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analysis determined that U.S. childhood vaccination programs between 1994 and 2023 prevented approximately 508 million illnesses, 32 million hospitalizations, and 1.13 million deaths. This widespread prevention resulted in nearly $540 billion in direct healthcare cost savings and an estimated $2.7 trillion in societal savings, such as reduced productivity losses. Overall, every dollar spent on childhood vaccines yielded about $11 in benefits, highlighting their significant economic and health return on investment.
The CDC also reported that following the introduction of the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine in the U.S. in 1995, reported cases decreased by 97%. Hospitalizations dropped from about 10,500–13,500 annually in the early 1990s to approximately 1,400 per year, while deaths fell from 100–150 to fewer than 30 each year. Over the first 25 years of its implementation, the program prevented an estimated 91 million cases and saved $23.4 billion in direct healthcare costs.
Romero directs statewide childhood vaccination initiatives as Immunization Program Manager at NMDOH. She leads projects like the summer "Got Shots" vaccine clinics and school-based immunization drives designed to ensure access to no-cost vaccines for uninsured and underinsured children.
