Too much misinformation

Austria brings up the rear: vaccination rate “underground”

Experts are particularly concerned about the amount of misinformation - Austria continues to lag massively behind in terms of vaccination rates.

(Bild: APA/dpa/dpaweb)

When it comes to vaccinations, there has been no significant positive development in Austria. According to experts, the vaccination coverage rate in the country is "subterranean to abysmal" - in an EU comparison, we are in the inglorious last place for two vaccinations.

Specifically, this is the case for whooping cough immunization and hepatitis B. That is why there are also many cases of illness with pathogens that should no longer be a problem, said Ursula Wiedermann-Schmidt from MedUni Vienna.

"Huge vaccination gaps in the population" had led to the "extreme number of over 13,000 cases of whooping cough" in 2024, said Wiedermann-Schmidt. Many children also have no or insufficient vaccination protection against measles, which has contributed to 500 cases this year.

The vaccination offer has recently been improved (for example by extending the free HPV vaccination). However, the vaccination coverage of the population is still far lower than hoped for.

(Bild: APA/dpa/Stefan Puchner)

Vaccinate even during pregnancy
According to Gerhard Kobinger from the Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists, the reason for vaccination fatigue is often misinformation about vaccination damage, which in reality is often just an itchy injection site, and that vaccinations during pregnancy, for example, are an absolute taboo for many expectant mothers. "Vaccination coverage rates in this country range from subterranean to abysmal," the expert continues.

According to the Austrian vaccination plan, immunizations against pertussis (whooping cough), influenza, Covid-19 and RSV (human respiratory syncytial virus) are recommended for pregnant women, explained Rudolf Schmitzberger from the Austrian Medical Association. The vaccination protection would then be partly passed on to the child. It is also important to vaccinate children against pertussis before they start school.

Promising vaccines are coming
New, improved vaccines will be available in Germany next year, reported Wiedermann-Schmidt: for example against meningococci, pneumococci and the chikungunya virus. A Lyme disease vaccine is also being developed.

This would get more people vaccinated
In order to overcome vaccination fatigue, Kobinger believes that public confidence in vaccinations must increase. Advice from doctors and in pharmacies would be important here. It should also be as inexpensive as possible to get vaccinated. In 2024, for example, many more people were vaccinated against influenza than in the previous year because they did not have to pay a contribution towards the cost price.

Convenience also plays an important role in the decision to be immunized or not, said Wiedermann-Schmidt: "Vaccinations should therefore be made as easily accessible as possible and offered more often at people's workplaces, for example.