Ilara: Increased rates in children in Europe

Smaller and minors are most often affected by the new European report showing that the disease is rekindling in Europe. In fact, reducing vaccinations in children is tragic. Just four countries have now fully vaccinated 95% or more of their children, needed to provide adequate protection for everything. All others (including Greece) are much lower. In 2023, 2,361 cases of measles were recorded in the Member States of the European Union and the European Economic Area (EU/EEA), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). 79% were under the age of 14, with the vast majority under the age of 9. In particular, in a new report that it has released today, the ECDC cites the age distribution of cases. 11% were under the age of 1 year 36% were 1–4 years old 21% were 5–9 years old 11% were 10–14 years old 6% were 15–19 years old 6% were 20–29 years old 9% were 30 years old and over Overall, only 21% of cases were over 14 years old. The average age of all cases was 5 years. Before the pandemic, however, when we were still inoculating our children for infectious diseases, the average age was 5 to 19. By country Most children who had measles in 2023 lived in Romania, which also had most European cases (it was 1,775). In some countries, moreover, most cases were recorded in teenagers or young adults. In France, for example, the age group with most cases was 10-14 years old. In Germany, Italy and the Netherlands more were adult patients over 30 years of age. Greece was one of seven European countries that had no measles in 2023. The other six were Bulgaria, Cyprus, Spain, Luxembourg, Malta and Slovenia. Most of them are vaccinated. ECDC provides the report with information on the vaccination coverage of most cases (for 2.068 of 2,361). According to his data: 86% of patients were not vaccinated for measles 8% had only given one dose. 6% had made two or more doses 0.5% had made an unknown number of doses The proportion of vaccinated children is the highest reported in the last 5 years, the ECDC points out. To protect children from measles, two doses of the triple measles/parositis/red vaccine are needed before they are 4 years old. The first is after 12 months. The percentages of vaccinations The ECDC outlines in black the course of vaccinations for measles. Only four EU/EEA countries have both doses of 95% or more of their children. Hungary Malta Portugal Slovakia In Greece the first dose of the vaccine for measles had made 2022 97% of the children. However, the second had only made 83%. It is recalled that in the first two months 8 cases of measles had already been recorded in our country. In addition, the EGTC estimates that the risk of outbreaks is high, since vaccinations have been so reduced. Source: iatropedia.gr