Fewer Utrecht children were vaccinated against infectious diseases last year. This concerns, for example, vaccinations against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus, all part of the National Immunization Programme. In addition, there is also a difference between the areas in the city; for example, the vaccination rate in Overvecht and Kanaleneiland is lower than in other districts and neighbourhoods.
The municipality calls a drop in vaccination coverage “not good news” and says it is “particularly worrying” that participation in the National Immunization Program is not evenly distributed in Utrecht.
“A high vaccination rate protects children against serious infectious diseases and protects groups against an outbreak of infectious diseases.” The decrease is probably due to the corona crisis. As a result, some vaccinations were given later.
Numbers
The figures for Utrecht come from the RIVM. There you can read, among other things, that 91 percent of 2-year-olds have received all vaccinations from the National Immunization Program. A year earlier that was 93.3 percent.
Vaccination coverage among 10-year-olds for mumps, measles and rubella has fallen from 89.4 to 88.5 percent. The percentage of 14-year-old girls in Utrecht who have been vaccinated against the human papilloma virus has fallen from 60.9 to 57.4 percent.
Neighborhoods
The municipality also sees a difference in vaccination coverage between districts. For example, the rate for most vaccinations in Overvecht and Kanaleneiland is lower than in other Utrecht areas. Vleuten-de Meern and Noordoost, on the other hand, are neighborhoods where the average vaccination rate is higher. “This is probably related to the background of the population in these neighborhoods,” can be read in a letter to the council.
The municipality will take measures because of this difference. For example, discussions are held with parents, professionals and other ‘key figures’ about vaccination. “Based on the neighborhood approach, we are looking at whether it is additionally necessary to also restart the vaccination alliance and how we can shape it.”
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