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Tetanus is transmitted by bacteria living in soil, animal saliva and manure which can enter the body through minor wounds on the skin. Today, a widely used vaccine protects against tetanus.

Effective worldwide vaccination campaigns have dramatically reduced the number of deadly infections. Watch our video (turn on subtitles in your language!) and learn more about the vaccination success stories on the fight with smallpox, polio, tetanus and measles.

Vaccines have been used to prevent diseases in millions of people worldwide. But who monitors the safety of vaccines and how do they do it? Watch our video (turn on subtitles in your language!) to learn more about the safety net ensuring that all vaccines in the EU are safe and help to protect you and your family!

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases. The measles virus was identified in 1954 and a vaccine was introduced in 1963. Between 2000 and 2018, global measles deaths decreased by 73%, and 23 million deaths were prevented thanks to vaccination. But the fight is still ongoing. Learn more about it in our video (turn on subtitles in your language)!

Polio is an infectious disease mostly contracted by children. One in two hundred people develop incurable paralysis after infection. In 1955, a vaccine was invented and was introduced on a wide scale. Thanks to global efforts, polio was eliminated from the Western Hemisphere by 1994, and has greatly decreased worldwide.

Smallpox was once a common, deadly disease, that killed a third of those who contracted it. 200 years ago, it was discovered that vaccination could prevent smallpox. Learn more about the fight against smallpox in our video (turn on subtitles in your language)!

Treat websites and other online sources with a critical eye, especially when it comes to information on health issues, such as vaccination. This is why ECDC, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Commission decided to create the European Vaccination Information Portal - a one-stop-shop with all the reliable information on vaccination in the European Union!

Only vaccines that are safe and effective are approved for use in the European Union. How does the process of vaccine authorisation look like? Watch our video (turn on subtitles in your language) to learn more!

Should I vaccinate my children? Vaccines prevent diseases that could otherwise cause serious health problems, permanent disability or even death. Vaccines are used in hundreds of millions of people worldwide each year to protect from serious diseases.