Childhood vaccination rates have declined in Spain and across much of the European Union since the covid-19 pandemic began, reversing decades of steady improvement. A study published in The Lancet Regional Health - Europe found that coverage for several basic vaccines has stalled or fallen.
The researchers analyzed World Health Organization and UNICEF data on seven basic childhood vaccines: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b, measles, pneumococcus, polio, and rubella. They examined all 27 EU countries from 1980 to 2024. The sharpest declines began between 2019 and 2022, overlapping with the pandemic and its aftermath. Reports from Le Monde and other agencies point to particularly steep drops in coverage for meningococcus B, polio, and hepatitis B, with several countries affected at once.
In 2024, only Luxembourg and Portugal reached the 95% coverage threshold for all seven childhood vaccines across the EU, underscoring impressive disparities between member states.
In Spain, coverage has fallen for five of the seven vaccines tracked. Only rubella and measles coverage has improved. The study tracks statistical trends alongside raw coverage numbers. A country might so show a positive trend even if its actual coverage remains below the ideal level, making the results harder to interpret. WHO/UNICEF data cited by Russpain show that Spain’s coverage remains high overall, at about 92% to 97%, depending on the vaccine. In 2024, measles and rubella coverage reached 97%, while pneumococcus coverage was about 92%.
Over 45 years, the picture becomes more complicated. Many vaccines were added to national schedules during this period, often causing initial jumps in coverage as new shots were introduced. Measurement methods have also changed: researchers moved from counting distributed doses to tracking vaccinations actually administered. The study does not fully account for these changes, which may partly explain some apparent declines. Infobae notes that methodological shifts and the staggered introduction of new vaccines make year-to-year comparisons difficult.
Vaccine timing is another factor. In Spain, France, and Belgium, for example, the third dose of vaccines such as DTP and polio is now given at eleven months instead of six. Older infants tend to have lower coverage rates, a detail the study does not include in its analysis. This can skew comparisons, especially when vaccines are given together, as with DTP and polio in Spain.
Le Monde reported declines across all seven vaccines studied in several EU countries, including Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, the Netherlands, Romania, and Sweden. Those drops raise concerns about outbreaks in regions where coverage has fallen locally.
Recent coverage declines may be linked to the focus on covid-19 vaccination campaigns and, in some cases, increased vaccine hesitancy. But, because the study examines trends rather than absolute numbers, some declines may not signal an immediate risk if overall coverage remains high. In Spain, most vaccine rates are still strong, but coverage for some immunizations, at 94% and 92%, falls short of the 95% level considered best for community protection. UN Sustainable Development health reports have flagged the weakening of routine childhood immunization during the pandemic as a global concern, with possible consequences including the return of vaccine-preventable diseases.
These findings echo other public health challenges: changes in data collection and policy can make long-term trends harder to interpret. As reported earlier, shifts in official procedures can have wide effects on outcomes and public understanding.
The study points to the need to track trends alongside actual coverage numbers to protect public health gains. Spain’s vaccination rates remain high by international standards, but recent declines show why immunization programs need ongoing monitoring and careful review. Even small drops in coverage can have a impressive impact if left unaddressed, particularly alongside changes in vaccine schedules and data collection. For health authorities and policymakers, tracking both the numbers and the context behind them remains impressive to preserving the progress made over the past forty years.
