European Immunization Week, 2021
European Immunization Week (EIW) is marked across the European Region every year in the last week of April. It aims to raise awareness of the importance of immunization for people’s health and well-being.
On the occasion of European Immunization Week, ECDC reiterates the importance of vaccination as the main way to bring people back together and to look toward the future with hope for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For over a year, the virus has put people and communities to the test, forcing countries to take unprecedented measures to protect and save lives. COVID-19 has changed our ways of living with deep social and economic impacts.
COVID-19 has already claimed a high toll in human lives and suffering. We now have the efficient instrument to stop it.
With over one hundred million doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in the European Union, we have made important steps to protect vulnerable groups and frontline workers. Vaccination rollout must now be accelerated to protect the entire population because nobody is safe until everyone is safe.
European Immunization Week is also an occasion to remember the great importance of routine immunization. While the spotlight is now on COVID-19 vaccination, all countries must continue sustained efforts to ensure that no child is left behind from routine immunisation.
Vaccines work! Vaccines save lives! This is a reality that has fully impacted the last decades of public health and has resulted in a decreased burden of vaccine-preventable diseases, and healthier generations.
Together with Member States and health partners, we are continuously monitoring that vaccines are effective so that they continue to be a key instrument for healthier individuals and communities.
Finally, I would like to address the special considerations for all health workers who are making the COVID-19 vaccination rollout a reality. Immunization staff, together with doctors, nurses, and technicians, are the true heroes on the ground in fighting this virus.
Together we can win!
Andrea Ammon, ECDC Director.
Latest news and reports
Press release
EMA and ECDC join forces for enhanced post-marketing monitoring of COVID-19 vaccines in Europe
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) today kicked off a new initiative aimed at strengthening post-marketing monitoring of the safety, effectiveness and impact of COVID-19 vaccines in the EU/EEA.
News story
ECDC report examines SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk from vaccinated/previously infected individuals
In the Technical Report Risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission from newly infected individuals with documented previous infection or vaccination, published today, ECDC examines the evidence on the extent previous SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 vaccination prevents onward transmission from infected individuals to susceptible contacts.
Weekly updated overviews
Tools for public health
COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker
ECDC's COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker is an interactive dashboard which provides an overview of the progress in the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines in adults across EU/EEA Member States.
Read more on vaccination
European Vaccination Information Portal
The main purpose of this website is to provide accurate, objective, up-to-date evidence on vaccines and vaccination in general.
Tools for public health
ECDC Vaccine Scheduler
The Vaccine Scheduler is an interactive tool that shows vaccination schedules for individual EU/EEA countries and specific age groups.
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Join the conversation on social media by using the hashtags: #VaccinesWork and #VaccinesSaveLives.