Virologists say Austria's anti-vaxxers prolonging measles outbreak

Europe is bracing for a rise in cases of measles, after seeing the contagious disease return in high numbers last year. Many countries appear to be losing grip of the virus due to gaps in vaccinations. 

One of the countries most impacted is Austria, recording new cases of measles every week while the number of unvaccinated people remains largely unchanged. That may be due to skepticism about the safety of vaccines.

"I wouldn't advise anyone to vaccinate," Vienna resident Andreas told CGTN. "Nature should remain nature, there were no vaccinations hundreds of years ago." Jasmin, another local citizen, adds that she doesn't think everyone in her family got vaccinated.

Last year, cases of measles in Europe and Central Asia hit a 27-year high, with one of the biggest outbreaks occurring in Austria. Cases in the Alpine republic tripled in 2024 after the disease was imported from eastern European countries like Romania, says virologist Lukas Weseslindtner. And once measles returned to Austria it was able to spread easily.

"We analysed over 50,000 serum samples from the Austrian population for measles antibodies and we found that there had been immunization gaps in the adult population," Weseslindtner told CGTN. "And these people are the reason that the outbreaks are not immediately stopped."

Rising opposition

Since the 1990s, more and more Austrians have chosen not to get the anti-measles shot, with many unaware that the disease still exists. Meanwhile anti-vaccination sentiment increased during the Covid pandemic, when Austria tried to enforce compulsory vaccinations.

In 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.

"We know that Austria is a country of vaccination skeptics," says Daniela Angetter-Pfeiffer, historian at Austrian Academy of Sciences. "Ranging from religious reasons to fear of adverse vaccine reactions, then it's the pharmaceutical companies that allegedly want to make money from this disease." 

Measles is one of the most contagious human viruses, which can lead to serious complications and can be fatal. Last year 38 people died of the disease across Europe and Central Asia.

Groups like UNICEF and the World Health Organization are urging European governments to do more. In Austria, scientists say hundreds of infections each year will be the new normal, if vaccination gaps are not closed.