Low vaccination rates – WHO worried about the influence of social media
20 million children lacked last year, a protection against life-threatening diseases, such as measles, diphtheria, Tetanus or whooping cough. Thus, not more than every tenth child in the world, the most necessary vaccinations, write to the world health organization (WHO) and the children’s Fund, Unicef, in a joint report.
Most of those Affected lived in regions affected by conflict or in poor countries. The specialists are also concerned about the impact of Impfgegnern, which spread via social media, of false information, said the Director of the WHO-Impfabteilung, Kate O’Brian.
The global rate of vaccination against diphtheria, Tetanus and whooping cough, as well as the first dose against measles are stagnating according to the analysis, since a few years, at around 86 per cent – too little to prevent outbreaks of diseases effectively. A vaccination Coverage of at least 95 per cent is necessary.
Number of measles cases doubled
While in the case of many diseases, especially children in the poorest areas of the world are affected by gaps, exist in the case of the measles large fluctuations within a wide variety of income levels. This has contributed in the past year, to devastating outbreaks in many Parts of the world, the report says.
2018 have been reported, therefore, around 350,000 measles cases – almost twice as many as in the previous year. However, only a fraction is recorded in part of the cases. Alone in 2017, the WHO estimates the actual number of measles infections in the world at 6.7 million.
Vaccination rates and measles cases in the world
According to the data, Ukraine to 2018, was the country in terms of population, the majority of people became ill with measles. Since the vaccination was for many years neglected to be vaccinated, many adults and older children only insufficient, writes the WHO. In the meantime, it had managed, however, to increase the immunization Coverage among children to 90 percent.
In 19 countries, by contrast, the ratio declined for the first measles vaccination in the past year by ten percent or more. “Opponents have always existed,” said O’brian. “Such groups are a small phenomenon, but you can spread your message with social media today more than in the past.”
Germany: is vaccination always concrete
According to information from the Berlin-based Robert Koch Institute, the full Immunization was for diphtheria, Tetanus and whooping cough in the school entrance examinations in 2017 more than 93 percent. The vaccination Coverage for the first measles vaccination amounted to 97.1 percent, the second vaccination were, however, only 92.8 percent of school beginners.
In order to increase the rate further, will the Federal Minister of health, Jens Spahn (CDU) introduction this week of a bill for the measles vaccination to the Federal Cabinet. This provides, among other things, non-vaccinated children from the day care center to exclude, and in the case of school children, fines of up to € 2500 to call. In addition, a vaccination in refugee to accommodation as well as for childminders and nursery staff will be introduced.
Measles is a highly contagious disease that can lead to life-threatening complications. This is also true for Germany: According to the RKI one out of a thousand measles dies of the disease. Actually, the measles should be eradicated since 2015 in Germany. This year alone, the RKI were reported until mid-June, more than 400 cases.