Participation in the vaccinations against mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) and diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus and polio) (DTaP-IPV) has decreased slightly among infants (-1%).

Now not only girls, but also boys will have the opportunity to protect themselves from cancer caused by HPV.

National immunisation coverage has increased for the first time in five years, for almost all vaccinations. For children born in 2017, vaccination coverage against mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) increased by 0.7% to 93.6%.

For the first time in five years, the number of children receiving vaccinations from the National Immunisation Programme has increased slightly.

Nearly all infants in the Netherlands are still participating in the National Immunisation Programme.

The percentage of newborns participating in the immunisation programme targeting mumps, measles and rubella rose slightly over the past year.

From 16 December 2019, pregnant women in the Netherlands will be offered the 22-week vaccination. With this vaccination, a pregnant woman protects her child and herself against whooping cough.

In the first six months of 2019, the number of notified meningococcal serogroup W (MenW) disease cases decreased in almost all age groups, after a continuous increase since 2015.

The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment published a new edition of the Dutch food composition database (NEVO). This 2019 edition contains nutrient data for over 2150 food items. Values for 133 components (proteins, fats, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals) are available.

The vaccine against the HPV human papillomavirus virus will also become available for boys.