Whooping cough, hepatitis B and poliomyelitis: childhood vaccination declines in Spain

BarcelonaAlthough childhood vaccination coverage has advanced steadily in Europe over the last few decades, a study published in The Lancet Regional Health - Europe warns that this positive trend is losing momentum.

The work, led by researchers from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome, analyzes the evolution of seven childhood vaccines administered during the first year of life that protect against nine diseases in the 27 countries of the European Union: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type B, measles, rubella, pneumococcus, and poliomyelitis. The data corresponds to the period between 1980 and 2024 and, according to the study, there has been a stagnation or decline in most of the continent.

Spain is no exception. In the country, five of the seven immunizations studied show a recent downward trend: vaccination rates for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, and poliomyelitis stood at 94%; in contrast, coverage against measles and rubella still showed a slightly positive evolution and reached 97%. Below all the analyzed vaccines is the coverage against pneumococcus, at 92%.

The report indicates that most of the declines in vaccination rates in the EU began between 2019 and 2022, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the study does not allow for the detection of their causes, the authors point out that the setback could be a consequence of the interruptions to routine childhood vaccination services and the growing vaccine hesitancy. "Even modest decreases in coverage in countries with historically high vaccination rates can constitute early warning signs," the authors of the work state in the report.

Luxembourg and Portugal, leading the way

The report has been prepared based on vaccination coverage estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, and has compared the evolution of childhood immunizations over more than four decades.

Thus, in the European Union as a whole, it notes a long-term increase in coverage. However, in the last five years, most of the analyzed countries, including Spain, show a negative trend. The most marked decreases are observed in immunizations against Haemophilus influenzae type B and polio, with 20 countries showing downward trends. Conversely, vaccines against measles and rubella showed more favorable recent progress.

Luxembourg and Portugal achieve the best vaccination coverage, with 95% for all seven vaccines, while Romania is at the opposite extreme, with coverage below 80% in all immunizations.

"The study reflects, regardless of the trends, good vaccination coverage [in Spain], although it would be desirable for the values, which are at 94% and 92%, to reach above 95%," states Jaime Jesús Pérez, president of the Spanish Association of Vaccinology, in statements to SMC Spain.

Vaccines are one of the most effective public health interventions. It is estimated that every year they prevent between 4 and 5 million deaths globally, and in the last five decades they have contributed to preventing more than 154 million deaths, especially among children. However, in recent years, distrust of these drugs has increased, especially due to misinformation.

The authors warn that the decrease in vaccination coverage can weaken both individual and collective immunity. It can also increase the vulnerability of many groups, such as minors, the elderly, and immunocompromised people, to preventable diseases, which is why they are calling for urgent action.