The proportion of children vaccinated within the National Immunization Program (RVP) has fallen for the second year in a row.
This is evident from the report Vaccination rate and annual report National Immunization Program Netherlands 2022. RIVM is concerned about this decrease. A high vaccination rate is important to continue to protect people against serious diseases and to prevent outbreaks of these diseases.
In the Netherlands, children are vaccinated against twelve infectious diseases that can be serious. Most of the children participate in the NIP from birth. The report shows that the registered vaccination rate is about 2 to 5 percent lower than last year. For the measles disease, the vaccination rate for babies appears to be just below 90 percent for the first time in years. A vaccination rate above 95 percent is important to protect all residents of the Netherlands against this disease. If that percentage is not reached, there is a greater chance that measles will come back.
Consequences for participation later in life
Vaccination coverage in babies up to the age of 2 has also fallen for the other diseases in the National Immunization Programme. For optimal protection it is important to follow the schedule of the RVP.
Once children have started, this increases the chance that they will also get the vaccinations at a later age. Think of the follow-up vaccinations at 4 years (diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio), 9 years (mumps, measles, rubella and diphtheria, tetanus, polio), 10 years (HPV) and 14 years (meningococci).
Partly anonymous data
RIVM cannot provide exact figures on the size of the decrease. This is because RIVM receives part of the data on vaccinations anonymously since 1 January 2022. This happens if people do not give permission to share their data with RIVM.
Anonymous vaccinations (an average of 5 percent of the vaccinations in 2022) cannot be counted towards the vaccination rate. This number is still small. The figures in this report mainly concern children who have had the NIP vaccinations before 2022.
Less positive about vaccinations
A possible cause of the declining vaccination coverage is that young parents have started to think less positively about vaccinations. This was shown in a poll by the RIVM from 2022 in comparison with a poll from 2013.
European research also shows that citizens’ confidence in vaccines and vaccination has decreased in several countries. This may be a result of the corona pandemic. However, most parents are still positive about vaccination.
Improving vaccination coverage
RIVM is now in talks with the implementers to see how the vaccination rate can be improved. Removing obstacles for parents and teenagers is important in this respect, for example by creating more options when and where they can get their vaccinations. Another solution could be to give parents more opportunity to talk to professionals.
In addition, RIVM has started a new research program that will provide insight into how you can best inform people about vaccination, how you can support them in making a vaccination choice and how vaccination can be made as accessible as possible.
2023-07-03 17:30:00
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