Councilor Eelco Eerenberg, Public Health: “I am very concerned about the declining vaccination rates. There is a greater risk of outbreaks of infectious diseases, and the chances of a healthy life in our city are becoming more unequal. Therefore, we are organizing more vaccination moments among other measures. Additionally, we are improving the information provision and collaboration between different parties.”

The extra walk-in moments are in June and July. Here, parents with their children from 4 years old (and youth from 16 years old) can go without an appointment. There are increasing measles infections in the Netherlands and in holiday destinations such as Romania and Morocco. Parents of children under four years old can make an appointment at the consultation bureau.

Measles is a highly contagious disease. It often starts with fever and cold symptoms. Then you get red spots all over your body. For young children, measles can be very dangerous. They can develop pneumonia or inflammation of the brain and end up in the hospital.

The municipality of Utrecht is committed to increasing the vaccination rate. The number of vaccinated individuals is declining, and the differences between neighborhoods are also increasing. There are also significant differences in Utrecht based on country of origin. The low vaccination rates and the increase in differences pose a serious risk to the public health of our residents, and it is important to start a robust approach as soon as possible.

The vaccination moments