The effect of COVID-19 on the implementation mandatory vaccination of children and adolescents in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

ABSTRACT

Introduction. The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a lockdown resulting in an 85% reduction in the compulsory immunization of children in 82 countries in May 2020 compared to January and February 2020. The World Health Organization states that during the first four months, for the first time in 28 years, the vaccination coverage of children with the third dose of gout, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines dropped significantly. The objective of the research is to determine the effect of COVID-19 on the implementation of mandatory vaccination of children and youth in the FBiH in 2020 compared to 2019. Subjects and methods: Data for vaccination coverage for children and youth in FBiH were extracted from the official records of the Institute for Public Health of the FBiH, in 2019 and 2020. The percentage of children vaccinated through mandatory vaccination processes was analyzed, expressed as a percentage in primary vaccination and revaccination by FBiH counties in 2020 and 2019 in relation to the planned number of children. Results. The study found a decrease in vaccination with the first doses of vaccine in FBiH, with the exception of the BCG vaccine, which has an increase of 2.3% compared to 2019. In particular, there is a decrease in vaccination with the third dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine and the DTaP-IPV-Hib vaccine third dose. In 2020, in the FBiH, there was a decrease of 26.7% in vaccination with the first dose of MRP vaccine. Conclusion. The research found a significant decline in the vaccination of children and youth for almost all vaccines in all FBiH counties in 2020, which indicates an increased risk for vaccine-preventable diseases.Vaccination improvement activities in the FBiH need to be intensified in order to reduce the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. © 2022 Hrvatski Lijecnicki Zbor. All rights reserved.