[Göppingen 1999 vaccination program in the 5th and 6th grade]

During a campaign carried out by the Ministry for Social Affairs in Baden-Wuerttemberg to promote vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella (German measles) (MMR), the Juvenile Medical Service at the Public Health Office in Goeppingen carried out a broadly offered vaccination (advisory) programme in the Goeppingen area for 5,800 schoolchildren in their first and second years of secondary education (10-12-year olds) from September to December 1999. Our first aim was to detect in this target group vaccination gaps which could be closed by practising physicians, but our medical service also offered the mentioned vaccinations in those cases where no family doctor had been requested to vaccinate. Furthermore, the vaccination rates of standard immunizations were registered and a regional health report was published. Vaccination gaps were found especially at schools for children requiring special care and attention and schools for the less academically inclined, and showed an increased low-threshold need for immunization offers.