Worrying decline in routine vaccinations for children: www.kinderaerzte-im-netz.de

07/25/2022

If you exclude corona vaccinations, all other vaccinations in Germany were down in 2021 – by a total of 7%. Declines in important childhood vaccinations such as MMRV and HPV are particularly steep.

The reasons for the decline are multiple: misinformation, disruption of supply chains and changing awareness of the danger due to contact restrictions in 2020 and 2021.

UNICEF and WHO are sounding the alarm

This phenomenon can be observed all over the world. UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) are sounding the alarm and talking about the biggest drop in routine vaccinations in the world for 30 years. According to current surveys, around 25 million children worldwide will not receive life-saving vaccines in 2021.

Standard vaccinations for children in Germany have dropped by up to 18%

For multiple measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (MMRV) vaccines, market research firm IQVIA found an 18% decline in Germany. Several vaccines with a tetanus component were vaccinated 9% less.

Vaccination against HPV, which was only introduced in 2007, also fell by 12%. This is worrying, especially since the vaccination rates of 18-year-old women (51%) and 18-year-old men (1.3%) in Germany are low anyway – compared to other countries. industrialized countries like Norway, Great Britain and Australia. .

» Vaccination: Current vaccination recommendations

HPV vaccination protects against cancer, but vaccination coverage is low

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are sexually transmitted pathogens and are widely distributed. About 80% of all people are infected with it during their lifetime. Depending on the type of HPV, those affected can develop genital warts and cancer of the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, anus and oral cavity. HPV vaccinations for girls and boys are effective in protecting against these cancers.

You can read more about human papillomaviruses and HPV cancer vaccinations here: Decided. Against cancer.

Sources: WHO and Unicef: largest sustained decline in routine vaccinations worldwide in three decades, no windfall effects: declining corona-free vaccination activity, HPV vaccination: good efficacy, low rate