European vaccination rates decline amid rising measles cases in Italy

A study published in The Lancet, utilizing WHO and UNICEF data, reveals a decline in childhood vaccination coverage across Europe following decades of progress. While 20 out of 27 EU countries analyzed maintained an average vaccination rate above 95% for at least four of the seven antigens studied, a downward trend has emerged between 2019 and 2024.

Countries such as Italy, Greece, France, and Spain are noted for high coverage, whereas Romania shows rates below 80% for all studied vaccines. Finland and Poland also reported lower averages for several antigens.

In Italy, the Ministry of Health has reported a significant rise in measles infections. Confirmed laboratory cases rose to 472 in the first five months of the year, compared to 322 during the same period last year. The outbreak is notably concentrated in the Campania region, where cases jumped from 18 to 100. Data from the Istituto Superiore di Sanità indicates that 93.3% of those infected had received no vaccine doses. The virus is primarily affecting adults and youths between 15 and 39 years old, with a median age of 30.