Vaccination mandates tied to higher immunization rates in Europe 

As public health experts continue to grapple with ongoing measles outbreaks in many countries and the spread of anti-vaccination sentiments, a new study reveals that vaccination mandates in Europe may have worked to increase immunization rates against measles and pertussis. Researchers looked at vaccination coverage data from 29 European countries, and those with vaccination mandates had measles immunization rates that were nearly four percentage points higher than countries without requirements. Countries with mandates for pertussis vaccinations had immunization rates that were more than two percentage points higher. In those countries that didn’t have nonmedical exemptions (such as religious or personal beliefs), increased measles vaccination rates were also associated with a decreased incidence of measles, although the authors didn’t find such a similar link for pertussis.