Childhood vaccination rates have stagnated or fallen in most EU countries since the COVID-19 pandemic, following decades of progress, study suggests

Study.

Fewer kids are being vaccinated in most European Union (EU) countries in recent years, according to Italian researchers, who warn this is reversing substantial progress made since 1980. The team looked at vaccination data on seven childhood vaccines (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b, measles, pneumococcus, polio and rubella) across all 27 EU countries between 1980 and 2024. Over the full period, vaccination rates rose in most countries for most vaccines, but 16 countries have seen recent declines in vaccination rates for four or more vaccines. Most of the recent declines began between 2019 and 2022, they say, during COVID-19. The pandemic may have contributed to the disruption of routine vaccination services, the authors add, although they caution that their study just looked at changing rates, not causes.