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The National Immunisation Programme in the Netherlands: surveillance and developments in 2020-2021.

Afrian, A., Ainslie, K., Andeweg, S., Benschop, K.S.M., Binnendijk, R.S. van, Bodewes, R., Boven, M. van, Brouwer, J.G.M., Bruijning-Verhagen, P., Buisman, A., Coul, E. op de, Cremer, J., Dijkstra, F., Dongen, J.A.P., Duizer, E., Eer, K. van, Eggink, D., Els, C.A.C.M. van, Freudenburg-de Graaf, W., Friesema, I.H.M., Gier, B. de, Gordon, T., Hagen, C.C.E. van, Hahné, S., Hartog, G. den, Heiningen, F. van, Helm, K., Huiberts, A., Hoes, J., Hof, S. van den, Hoogen, M.L.L. van den, Hooiveld, M., Immink, M.M., Kaaijk, P., Kassteele, J. van de, Kasteren, P.B. van, Kemmeren, J.M., King, A.J., Klis, F.R.M. van der, Knol, M.J., Kooijman, M.N., Lagerweij, G.R., Lanooij, S.J., Lier, E.A. van, Maas, N.A.T. van der, Mariman, S., McDonald, S., Meijberg, A., Meijer, A., Meijeren, D.L. van, Melker, H.E. de, Middeldorp, M., Miellet, W., Mooij, S., Munter, A. de, Nielen, M., Niessen, F.A., Notermans, D.W., Ohm, M., Oostdijk, C., Peelens, A.R., Pijnacker, R., Pluijmaekers, A.J.M., Reubsaet, F.A.G., Reusken, C., Rots, N.Y., Ruijs, W.L.M., Schepp, R.M., Shah, A.A., Slobbe, J. van, Smits, G., Sorge, N.M. van, Steens, A., Sunderland, A., Teirlinck, A.C., Trzcinski, K., Veldhuizen, I.K., Vennema, H., Verstraten, C.J.M.M., Vliet, J. van, Vos, E.R.A., Vries, M. de, Wijk, J.L.I. van, Wijmenga-Monsuur, A.J., Wong, D., Woudstra, L., Zoonen, K. van. The National Immunisation Programme in the Netherlands: surveillance and developments in 2020-2021. Bilthoven: RIVM, 2021. 362 p.
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Synopsis
The National Immunisation Programme in the Netherlands
Surveillance and developments in 2020-2021

In 2020, 1,026,872 children and pregnant women were vaccinated as part of the National Immunisation programme (NIP). They received a total of 2,205,249 vaccinations. Vaccination coverage in the Netherlands has increased slightly, just as it did in the previous year. This concerns children who received most of their vaccinations before the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. It appears the measures that were implemented to control the COVID-19 pandemic had little negative effect on the number of children that were vaccinated in 2020. The exact vaccination coverage for these children cannot be calculated until a later date as not all of the necessary data is available at this time.
In 2020, fewer people fell ill due to a disease that is included in the NIP vaccination schedule compared to 2019. This is very likely due to COVID-19 control measures such as social distancing and handwashing. The decrease was observed primarily for pertussis (943), mumps (64), pneumococcal disease (approximately 1,500 cases), and measles (2). There were no notifications of rubella and polio in 2020. There were 3 confirmed cases of diphtheria and 2 confirmed cases of tetanus. The number of notifications for meningococcal disease caused by serotype W (12) decreased further after introduction of the vaccine into the NIP in 2019. Only Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) occurred more frequently than in 2019. The number of notifications increased from 39 in 2019 to 68 in 2020. The RIVM is currently investigating the cause of this increase.
The number of chronic hepatitis B notifications (825 cases) decreased by about 30 percent compared to 2019. This is probably the result of a decrease in doctors’ visits and therefore diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic. It takes a long time for hepatitis B to cause noticeable symptoms, which means it is usually discovered by chance.
In June 2021, the Health Council of the Netherlands recommended offering routine rotavirus vaccination to all children. In September 2021, the council recommended inviting more risk groups for flu vaccination, including pregnant women.
The RIVM collects and analyses data on the effectiveness of vaccination. These analyses show that COVID-19 vaccines are effective.