Germany’s HPV Vaccination Rate for 15-Year-Old Girls Drops to 49.5 Percent in Q3 2024, WIdO Reports
According to the Wissenschaftliche Institut der AOK (WIdO), the vaccination rate for 15-year-old girls against human papillomavirus (HPV) in Germany has declined to 49.5 percent in the third quarter of 2024. This marks a drop of nearly five percentage points compared to the previous year and a ten percentage point decline from the pre-pandemic level.
Despite the decline, the HPV vaccination remains crucial in protecting against infections with high-risk HPV strains, which can lead to cervical cancer if left untreated. The vaccine is most effective when administered before the first sexual encounter and a full protection requires two doses, which can be received up to the age of 18.
Regional disparities in vaccination rates are significant, with Bremen reporting a rate of 32.9 percent, while Sachsen-Anhalt recorded a rate of 65.7 percent. The vaccination rate for boys is also low, with only 30 percent fully immunized and 40 percent receiving at least one dose. The HPV vaccine has been recommended for boys since 2018 to achieve herd immunity and protect against certain types of cancer.
Germany still lags behind the World Health Organization’s (WHO) target of achieving a 90 percent vaccination rate by 2030, according to David Scheller-Kreinsen, the managing director of WIdO.