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Immunization is a hot topic, especially on social media. The data published by the National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene shows that over the last nine years (2010-2019) the number of people avoiding compulsory vaccination has increased more than 10 times.
More and more exemptions from the obligation to vaccinate
For several years in Poland, we have been observing a dangerous trend of parents avoiding the obligation to vaccinate their children. Every year there are more and more of them, and in 2019 another record was set. According to reports published by the NIPH-PZH, 48 people avoided vaccination were recorded in the previous year. This means that 6 out of 1000 children aged 0-19 have not been vaccinated for evasion.
For comparison, in 2010 the number of people avoiding compulsory vaccination was 3437.
Editors recommend:
- When not to vaccinate a child? Contraindications to vaccinations
- Splitting vaccinations: “one visit – one vaccine”
- Vaccination myths
Vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic
At the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic in Poland, Minister of Health Łukasz Szumowski decided to suspend planned and recommended vaccinations for all age groups for a 30-day period. This decision was not due to medical contraindications for vaccination, but was aimed at limiting visits to primary care clinics.
From April 20, vaccinations were resumed under the new sanitary regime. In the announcement of the Ministry of Health, we could read:
- vaccinations in neonatal wards,
- compulsory vaccinations, which, according to PSO, should be performed until 24 months of age,
- vaccinations, taking into account the individual situation of children with chronic diseases for whom there are specific health indications for vaccination,
- post-exposure vaccinations against rabies, tetanus, measles, chicken pox, hepatitis B, according to medical indications in all age groups,
- implementation of other preventive vaccinations, the necessity of administration or completion of which results from the Summary of Product Characteristics.
Although the implementation of the vaccination schedule has resumed, many parents have doubts as to whether it is safe to go to the facility with their child. Together with doctor Ilona Małecka, a pediatrician and an employee of the Department and Department of Health Prevention at the Medical University of Poznań, we tried to dispel the doubts most often tormented by parents. Worth reading: Vaccinations have been resumed. “COVID-19 did not make other infectious diseases no longer dangerous”