Southern Italy vaccination coverage decreases

The most recent report from the Italian Ministry of Health, Vaccination coverage of pediatric and adolescent age based on data relating to the year 2023, indicates a slight decline in the coverage rates of most recommended childhood vaccinations in Italy, with the exception of measles, rubella, mumps, and chickenpox. This trend is especially evident in the southern regions of Italy, where notably low vaccination coverage rates at 24 months have been recorded. Specifically, the regions of Puglia (90.36% for polio, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis; 90% for measles and rubella; 89% for chickenpox), Sicily (89.44% for polio, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis; 90.79% for measles; 90.78% for rubella; 90.12% for chickenpox), and Sardinia (91.82% for polio; 91.83% for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis; 91.96% for measles and rubella; 91.40% for chickenpox) demonstrate this pattern. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 95% vaccination coverage rate to restrict the spread of these pathogens within the community and to achieve both individual protection for vaccinated individuals and population immunity, also known as herd immunity.