What do smallpox, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, varicella have in common? They are some of the diseases that can be prevented by vaccines, which have killed and left millions of people with severe complications, including blindness and paralysis, over the years.

Thanks to widespread vaccination, smallpox has now been eradicated and the same is expected to happen to polio soon, if current efforts are sustained. Other diseases are still out there, but their reach was limited by immunisation, like with measles.

Before the introduction of the vaccine in the early 1960s, measles - a highly contagious virus spread by air or infected surfaces - killed 2.6 million people every year. In 2016, it caused the death of 89,780 people, which is the lowest number of fatalities caused by measles until now.

Vaccination continues to be one of most important tools for public health. It saves two to three million people every year and if coverage was increased, then vaccination would prevent another 1.5 million deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

Measles cases triple in one year

Although measles cases and deaths are decreasing in the world, in 2017, 14,451 cases of measles were reported in the EU, three times as many as in 2016 (4,643). The two countries with the highest number cases were Romania and Italy, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). In 2017 87% of cases involved unvaccinated cases. Over the last two years 50 people died in the EU because of measles.

Why the number of measles cases is increasing

The most effective measure to prevent the spread of measles it to make sure that 95% of the population is vaccinated with two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. However, in the EU only Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden reached that target in 2016, according to the World Health Organization. For example, both Romania and Italy, the countries with the highest number of cases in 2017, were well below the safety target

MEPs warn against drop in vaccination rates

On 19 April, MEPs adopted a resolution expressing concerns about Europe's insufficient coverage rates and its impact on public health.

The difference in immunisation rates between EU countries are due to different national policies on vaccination, increasing prices of vaccines and the refusal of vaccines.

In the draft resolution, MEPS call on the European Commission to facilitate a more harmonised schedule for vaccination across the EU and to increase its support to national vaccination initiatives. They also welcomed plans for EU countries to buy vaccines together, which should make them cheaper.