Health for all

Vaccines protect everyone: newborns, infants, children, adults and older adults

Maternal immunisation has the potential to protect newborns from dangerous infectious diseases (e.g. influenza, pertussis)³  

Vaccination helps protect the ageing population and can slow down their physical decline⁷

Vaccination of healthcare professionals (HCPs): HCPs need to be vaccinated to protect not only themselves, but also their patients and their friends and families

Vaccination prevents certain cancers: Hepatitis B vaccination reduces the risk of liver cancer; human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine prevents HPV-related abnormalities which could later become cancer

Vaccines protect patients with chronic disease from serious infections and their complications (e.g. influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations are specifically recommended for people with diabetes⁴, heart failure ⁵or chronic lung diseases⁶ )

Safe travels: Travel vaccinations protect people against infections that are indigenous to certain parts of the world

Vaccinating contributes to creating a healthier community. By getting vaccinated, we protect those who cannot be fully immunised (e.g. Immunocompromised patients), as well as those who have not yet been vaccinated (e.g. Newborns).

Adopting a life-course approach

Adopting a life-course approach to vaccination will help maximise the benefits of vaccination for individuals, public health and society. ⁸

What Europe can do

Support immunisation at all stages of life: ensure vaccination policies that contribute to the sustainability of our healthcare systems and the productivity of our societies

Set vaccination goals and deliver their implementation throughout Europe, such as achieving the 95% target of measles vaccination coverage by 2020⁹

Improve confidence in vaccination by establishing a European vaccination information portal to provide online, objective, transparent and updated evidence on vaccines, as already proposed by the EC

All healthcare professionals can make a difference

Expanding access to vaccine administration reflects HCPs’ shared responsibility to vaccinate (Doctors/GPs, nurses, midwives, pharmacists etc.).¹³

Did you know

Healthcare professional play a crucial role in informing their patients on the importance of vaccination and strengthen community protection

Certain EU countries support vaccine administration by healthcare providers (HCPs) who are in contact with the wider public (e.g. pharmacists), but also with vulnerable communities (e.g. migrants)

Providing vaccination through non-healthcare settings, such as schools and the workplace, could encourage uptake across all stages in life (e.g. UK offers flu, HPV and meningitis vaccination to children in schools)¹²

What Europe can do

Provide guidance for EU countries on how to expand access to vaccination in healthcare and non-healthcare settings

Strengthen education and training on vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccinology, and immunisation in medical curricula for healthcare providers across all sectors

Improve confidence in vaccination by convening a coalition for vaccination bringing together European associations of healthcare providers to promote vaccination, and strengthening partnerships and collaboration on vaccination with international partners, as already proposed by the EC