Vaccination Gaps of Employees in Institutions of Preschool Childcare before Introduction of the Measles Protection Act

Abstract

The measles protection act and the updated recommendations of the permanent commission of vaccination (STIKO) include the obligatory proof of a double vaccination against measles for employees (born after 1970) in childcare. In addition, the standard and professional recommendations for vaccinations should be respected. A retrolective evaluation of vaccination gaps of employees in institutions for preschool childcare was performed. The database of 2018 and 2019 of the B·A·D-Health center Erlangen have 1300 recorded cases of occupational medical consultations in preschool childcare. Double consultations and consultations with insufficient data were excluded. 1016 contacts were analyzed with regard to vaccination gaps of measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, pertussis, hepatitis A+B and early summer meningoencephalitis. The evaluation was primarily based on the employees' vaccination cards. Vaccination gaps were assumed in case of missing, commenced or incomplete vaccination protection. In this cohort of 1016 employees, the vaccination gap for measles increased from 16.2% to 20.6%, when applying the updated STIKO recommendation and the resulting change of definition of complete vaccination protection from measles. Further gaps were 22.7% for mumps, 18.9% for rubella, 2.3% for varicella, 27.8% for pertussis, 61.1% for hepatitis A and 60.5% and tick-borne encephalitis. The age group <30 years showed less vaccination gaps than the age group ≥30 years. The evaluation of the health center in Erlangen showed considerable age-dependent vaccination gaps in the cohort of employees of preschool childcare. The measles protection act that makes vaccination against measles mandatory contributes to closing this gap. There is room for counselling as well as for action regarding vaccine-preventable diseases in occupational medicine.