Childhood vaccination rates across several European countries have shown signs of decline since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a recent study published in The Lancet Regional Health on September 17. The research examined vaccination levels for seven key childhood vaccines—diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, meningitis B, poliomyelitis, and pneumococcus—across the 27 countries of the European Union, using data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF spanning over 40 years, from 1980 to 2024. The study describes the overall picture as "complex," noting that while the EU has achieved "historically high" vaccination rates for these diseases, there are significant differences between countries. In 2024, Luxembourg and Portugal achieved coverage of at least 95% for the seven vaccines, while Romania had coverage below 80%. The study highlights a "recent, worrying and generalized decline" in vaccination rates since the beginning of the pandemic. Sixteen EU countries have seen a drop in vaccination rates for at least four of the seven vaccines. This decline has been most pronounced in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, the Netherlands, Romania, and Sweden, where all seven vaccines have seen declines in recent years. In Germany and Spain, five of the seven vaccines have seen a drop, while in France and Italy, coverage has increased for four vaccines but decreased for three. Measles cases in France have risen sharply in 2025, unlike in other European nations. Meningitis B and poliomyelitis have been particularly affected, with declines observed in 20 countries. Hepatitis B coverage has dropped in 18 countries, and diphtheria, tetanus, and polio coverage have fallen in 17 countries. In contrast, the declines for measles and mumps have been less severe. Most of the recent declines in vaccination coverage began between 2019 and 2022, overlapping with the early years of the pandemic. While the study suggests that the health crisis may have played a role in these changes, the researchers clarify that their work did not aim to identify the exact causes behind the declines. Instead, they stress the "urgency" of maintaining high and sustainable vaccination rates to prevent the resurgence of infectious diseases. Over the past 50 years, childhood vaccinations have significantly reduced the impact of diseases such as tetanus, pertussis, pneumonia, measles, and diphtheria, preventing more than 154 million deaths worldwide, especially among children. The study also points to the disruptions caused by the pandemic, which affected healthcare systems and may have contributed to a rise in distrust and misinformation about vaccines. As countries work to restore vaccination coverage, public health officials are emphasizing the importance of addressing these challenges to ensure continued protection against preventable diseases.