Is vaccination out? Experts urge vaccinations are important in all age groups

Doctors Committee warns of negative vaccine populism

Professor Ursula Wiedermann-Schmidt is the director of the Institute for Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine at MedUni Vienna. Together with her colleagues, the expert will explain about vaccination at a symposium. It wants to eliminate common prejudices and reach a broader acceptance in the population. The growing lack of vaccine protection sees the professor as a social problem.

In the view of the committee of the MedUni Vienna, the Austrian Medical Association and the Austrian Pharmacist Chamber, vaccination is the best tool to counter epidemics of severe infectious diseases such as measles, whooping cough, diphtheria and influenza. The experts want to make sure that vaccination is "in" again. The committee wants to address the negative vaccine populism with education. "Because only if we physicians and all health care professionals have sufficient knowledge about the vaccination and the right communication channels, the message actually arrives," reports Wiedermann-Schmidt in a press release to the vaccination Congress.

In the course of the Austrian vaccination day 2019 vaccine experts demand a broader acceptance for vaccination in the population. (Image: Richard Villalon / fotolia.com)

Vaccinating can save lives

The professor warns that many people dismiss infectious diseases such as measles as a "childhood disease" or generally reject vaccinations as something "unnatural". This attitude is also reflected in the increasing number of measles cases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were 41,000 measles cases in the first half of 2018 alone, with 37 fatalities. "Each of these victims would have been prevented by vaccination," emphasizes the director of the institute.

Is vaccination "out"?

According to the experts of the congress, vaccination is important not only in children and adolescents, but in all age groups. As a first step, Wiedermann-Schmidt calls for a vaccination obligation for persons working in health and social professions: "In 2017, measles diseases accounted for almost 20 percent of health workers in Austria - an untenable condition." Not only self-protection plays a role here. Especially physicians have a strong role model function and could motivate the population to be vaccinated as well.

Whether young or old - vaccination is important for everyone

"Unfortunately, we find that the zeitgeist is called 'egoism' - also when vaccinating," criticized Wiedermann-Schmidt. Only those who protect themselves can also help to protect other people, especially those in their personal environment. The professor calls for more social responsibility.

Whooping cough cases have doubled in recent years

In addition to the measles problem, other infectious diseases are on the rise again. According to the head of the vaccination department of the Austrian Medical Association, Rudolf Schmitzberger, cases of whooping cough have more than doubled between 2015 and 2017. "The disease spreads almost as fast as measles," warns Schmitzberger. Sufficient immunization protection is therefore especially important for sensitive groups such as pregnant women.

Pneumococci are very common

"Two-thirds of two-to-three-year-olds carry pneumococcal bacteria unnoticed and thus pose a potential threat to their lives," explains Schmitzberger. Pneumococci Bacteria can cause severe pneumonia, which is often fatal. Schmitzberger sees this as an unnecessary danger, as there is now a broader effective 13-fold vaccine against the dangerous bacteria.

The little ones protect the big ones

Influenza is also largely transmitted by children, explains Schmitzberger. Therefore, the influenza vaccine must be included in the vaccination program for children. "Once the grandchildren have been vaccinated, not only themselves, but also their parents and grandparents are protected from illness," the expert sums up. The largest responsibility for a wider acceptance in the population sees the committee at the local pharmacies. These are the first point of contact for health issues for most people. The pharmacists could positively influence the health awareness of the people. "This is especially true in vaccination, a topic that is discussed very controversially and in which the public as a result of information deficits there is a great deal of uncertainty," adds Gerhard Kobinger of the Austrian Pharmacists. (Vb)