National immunization policies and practices targeting asylum seekers, refugees and irregular migrants in EU/EEA countries

• Main Authors: Giulia Marchetti, Cristina Giambi, Martina Del Manso, Alessia Ranghiasci, Gloria Nacca, Maria Grazia Dente, Maurizio Marceca, Karam Adel Ali, Silvia Declich
• Other Authors: ISTM, Marchetti, Giulia, Giambi, Cristina, Del Manso, Martina, Ranghiasci, Alessia, Nacca, Gloria, Grazia Dente, Maria, Marceca, Maurizio, Adel Ali, Karam, Declich, Silvia
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Norway; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11573/1183311

Background of the study: Migrants represent a potential vulnerable group and adequate health protection, including vaccine preventable diseases prevention, should be ensured. Objective: The aim of this survey was to map national immunization policies and practices targeting asylum seekers, refugees and irregular migrants in EU/EEA countries. Method: A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in 28 EU and 2 EEA (Iceland, Norway) countries within the ECDC funded Vaccine European New Integrated Collaboration Effort (VENICE) Project. Summary of Results: All countries but the Czech Republic completed the survey and 28 countries (all except Romania) offer vaccination to migrants. A national regulation/legal framework supporting migrant immunization is available in 24/28 countries, of which for 9 it is specifically established for migrants. All the vaccinations included in the National Immunization Plan appropriate for age are offered to child and adolescent migrants in 26 countries and to adult migrants in 14 countries. Priority is given to polio, DT and MMR vaccines. Vaccinations are mainly given at holding and/or community level and only 5 countries vaccinate at entry level. A vaccination card is delivered to migrants in 23/28 countries for children/adolescent and 24/28 countries for adults. Methods of recording individual data vary highly across countries: for children/adolescents and adults, respectively, 15 and 12 countries use an electronic database, 5 and 4 use only paper registry, 2 and 2 use both electronic and paper registries, while 6 and 10 countries do not record information at all. Individual data are not made available from the sites where vaccinations are delivered to other local or national centers or institutions in 14/28 countries. Overall, 19 countries reported to have experienced vaccine shortages, but this shortage was not due to provision of vaccinations to migrants, contrary to some rumours. Conclusions: Although policies about immunization of migrants are available in most of EU/EEA ...