The absence of vaccination has the potential to significantly increase the possibility of virus-transmitted diseases such as pneumonia and influenza, which can be life threatening for people living with asthma and COPD.
As part of the Steering Committee on Influenza Vaccination, at EFA we call to ensure equal access to vaccines and good coverage of vaccination to protect everyone – a prerequisite for prevention through vaccination.
In light of the drop of vaccination rates in many countries in Europe in recent years, the European Institutions have been proposing a number of measures to tackle the issue of vaccine hesitancy together, including a European Parliament resolution and a communication by the European Commission in April 2018.
In response to the Commission’s proposal, on 7th December the EU Health Council adopted measures towards a strengthened cooperation among member states against vaccine-preventable diseases. The presented document identifies some of the current key challenges of vaccination and promotes coordination for the adoption of sustainable vaccination policies. In light of those policies, the health ministers are encouraging all member states to develop national vaccination plans. Without a plan, implementation of vaccination is at risk and the transparency of policies and information is difficult to achieve towards people, who may be hesitant or ignorant on vaccination.