European Immunisation Week 2020

Dear colleagues,

We know that it is difficult during these days to avoid discussion over COVID-19. However, between 20 and 26 April 2020, “European Immunisation Week” is taking place as part of a global initiative to raise awareness of the benefits of vaccination.

Perhaps during this period, it is best to understand the benefits of vaccination and how much it costs us to have a vaccine unavailable. We seem cynical when we discuss about costs but these costs are not just about economic aspects. We are talking about costs in lost lives, temporary or permanent disabilities, social costs and, last but not least, economic costs.

At the same time, at European level, we moved much of the activity to the online area. However, vaccination programs must continue for a very simple reason. The interruption of these programs will result in the accumulation of a number of people susceptible to vaccine preventable diseases and the increase of the threats of epidemics through vaccine preventable diseases that will overlap or follow the COVID 19 pandemic.

UEMO is part of the Vaccination Coalition founded in 2019 and wants to highlight the benefits of vaccination during this important week. Within this coalition  3 videos were made available in order to assist the medical staff in the vaccination activity.

We recommend our members to share and amplify the information from credible sources that can be made available on the World Health Organisation website: European Immunisation Week 2020.