00:00While Vienna records new cases of measles every week, the number of unvaccinated people remains largely unchanged.
00:09That may be due to skepticism about the safety of vaccines.
00:13Your family, do you think everyone got vaccinated?
00:16No, I don't think so.
00:19I wouldn't advise anyone to vaccinate. Nature should remain nature.
00:23There were no vaccinations hundreds of years ago.
00:25Last year, cases of measles in Europe and Central Asia hit a 27-year high, with one of the biggest outbreaks occurring in Austria.
00:38Cases in the Alpine Republic tripled in 2024 and continue to rise this year.
00:44The disease was imported from Eastern European countries like Romania, says virologist Lukas Wesseslindner.
00:51And once measles returned to Austria, it was able to spread easily.
00:56We analyzed over 50,000 serum samples from the Austrian population for measles antibodies.
01:03And we found that there had been immunization gaps in the adult population.
01:08And these people are the reason that the outbreaks are not immediately stopped.
01:12Since the 1990s, more and more Austrians have chosen not to get the anti-measles shot, with many unaware that the disease still exists.
01:23Meanwhile, anti-vaccination sentiment increased during the COVID pandemic, when Austria tried to enforce compulsory vaccinations.
01:30In view of rising opposition to governmental vaccination measures, Austria's authorities are now encouraging family doctors and pharmacists to inform the population about the free anti-measles shot.
01:44We know that Austria is a country of vaccine skeptics, ranging from religious reasons to fear of adverse vaccine reactions.
01:54Then it's the pharmaceutical companies that allegedly want to make money from this disease.
02:00Measles is one of the most contagious human viruses, which can lead to serious complications and can be fatal.
02:07Last year, 38 people died of the disease across Europe and Central Asia.
02:13Groups like UNICEF and the World Health Organization are urging European governments to do more.
02:17In Austria, in Austria, scientists say hundreds of infections each year will be the new normal if vaccination gaps are not closed.
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