Suboptimal MMR Vaccination Coverages—A Constant Challenge for Measles Elimination in Romania
Measles is targeted for elimination since 2001, with a significant reduction in cases recorded worldwide, but outbreaks occur periodically due to immunization gaps. This study analyzes the evolution of vaccination coverage rates (VCRs) in Romania, a EU country with large measles epidemics during the...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/1/107 |
| _version_ | 1797339374931673088 |
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| author | Aurora Stanescu Simona Maria Ruta Costin Cernescu Adriana Pistol |
| author_facet | Aurora Stanescu Simona Maria Ruta Costin Cernescu Adriana Pistol |
| author_sort | Aurora Stanescu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Measles is targeted for elimination since 2001, with a significant reduction in cases recorded worldwide, but outbreaks occur periodically due to immunization gaps. This study analyzes the evolution of vaccination coverage rates (VCRs) in Romania, a EU country with large measles epidemics during the last two decades, including an ongoing outbreak in 2023. Vaccination against measles has been part of the National Immunization Program since 1979, initially as a single dose, and from 1994 onwards it has had two doses. The initially high national VCRs of >97% gradually declined from 2010 onward and remained constantly under 90%, with further decreases during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lowest VCRs for both vaccine doses in the last decade were recorded in 2022 and were 83.4% for the first dose and 71.4% for the second dose, with significant differences among Romania’s 42 counties. Several factors contributed to this decline, including failure to attend the general practitioners’ offices, increased number of children lost to follow-up due to population movements, missed vaccination opportunities due to temporary medical contraindications, a surge in vaccine hesitancy/refusal, a decreasing number of general practitioners and discontinuities in vaccine supply. The persisting suboptimal VCRs in Romania threaten the progress toward measles elimination. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:45:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e4400174b51643ceb81732bc9b0d4926 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:45:07Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj.art-e4400174b51643ceb81732bc9b0d49262024-01-29T14:26:15ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2024-01-0112110710.3390/vaccines12010107Suboptimal MMR Vaccination Coverages—A Constant Challenge for Measles Elimination in RomaniaAurora Stanescu0Simona Maria Ruta1Costin Cernescu2Adriana Pistol3Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, RomaniaFaculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, RomaniaRomanian Academy, 010071 Bucharest, RomaniaFaculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, RomaniaMeasles is targeted for elimination since 2001, with a significant reduction in cases recorded worldwide, but outbreaks occur periodically due to immunization gaps. This study analyzes the evolution of vaccination coverage rates (VCRs) in Romania, a EU country with large measles epidemics during the last two decades, including an ongoing outbreak in 2023. Vaccination against measles has been part of the National Immunization Program since 1979, initially as a single dose, and from 1994 onwards it has had two doses. The initially high national VCRs of >97% gradually declined from 2010 onward and remained constantly under 90%, with further decreases during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lowest VCRs for both vaccine doses in the last decade were recorded in 2022 and were 83.4% for the first dose and 71.4% for the second dose, with significant differences among Romania’s 42 counties. Several factors contributed to this decline, including failure to attend the general practitioners’ offices, increased number of children lost to follow-up due to population movements, missed vaccination opportunities due to temporary medical contraindications, a surge in vaccine hesitancy/refusal, a decreasing number of general practitioners and discontinuities in vaccine supply. The persisting suboptimal VCRs in Romania threaten the progress toward measles elimination.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/1/107measlesvaccine coverageoutbreakRomaniavaccine hesitancy |
| spellingShingle | Aurora Stanescu Simona Maria Ruta Costin Cernescu Adriana Pistol Suboptimal MMR Vaccination Coverages—A Constant Challenge for Measles Elimination in Romania Vaccines measles vaccine coverage outbreak Romania vaccine hesitancy |
| title | Suboptimal MMR Vaccination Coverages—A Constant Challenge for Measles Elimination in Romania |
| title_full | Suboptimal MMR Vaccination Coverages—A Constant Challenge for Measles Elimination in Romania |
| title_fullStr | Suboptimal MMR Vaccination Coverages—A Constant Challenge for Measles Elimination in Romania |
| title_full_unstemmed | Suboptimal MMR Vaccination Coverages—A Constant Challenge for Measles Elimination in Romania |
| title_short | Suboptimal MMR Vaccination Coverages—A Constant Challenge for Measles Elimination in Romania |
| title_sort | suboptimal mmr vaccination coverages a constant challenge for measles elimination in romania |
| topic | measles vaccine coverage outbreak Romania vaccine hesitancy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/1/107 |
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