Mandatory Vaccination in Europe.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Mandatory vaccination is effective in boosting vaccine uptake.
• Limited peer-reviewed data exists on European vaccine mandates' impact on coverage and disease incidence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the association between mandatory vaccination policies and vaccine coverage.
• To assess the relationship between mandates and the incidence of measles and pertussis in Europe.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and WHO.
• Employed multivariate negative binomial and linear regression models.
• Examined 29 European countries regarding vaccination policies, coverage, and disease incidence.

Main Results:

• Mandatory vaccination correlated with higher measles (3.71 pp) and pertussis (2.14 pp) vaccine prevalence.
• A significant decrease in measles incidence was observed in countries with mandates and no nonmedical exemptions (IRR=0.14).
• No significant association was found between mandatory vaccination and pertussis incidence.

Conclusions:

• Mandatory vaccination and fine severity enhance vaccination coverage.
• Mandatory vaccination without nonmedical exemptions reduces measles incidence.
• Findings support legislative strategies for improving vaccination rates.