Objective: To describe vaccination coverage and hesitation for the basic children's schedule in Belo Horizonte and Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.
Methods: Population-based epidemiological surveys performed from 2020 to 2022, which estimated vaccine coverage by type of immunobiological product and full schedule (valid and ministered doses), according to socioeconomic strata; and reasons for vaccination hesitancy.
Results: Overall coverage with valid doses and vaccination hesitancy for at least one vaccine were, respectively, 50.2% (95%CI 44.1;56.2) and 1.6% (95%CI 0.9;2.7), in Belo Horizonte (n = 1,866), and 64.9% (95%CI 56.9;72.1) and 1.0% (95%CI 0.3;2.8), in Sete Lagoas (n = 451), with differences between socioeconomic strata. Fear of severe reactions was the main reason for vaccination hesitancy.
Conclusion: Coverage was identified as being below recommended levels for most vaccines. Disinformation should be combated in order to avoid vaccination hesitancy. There is a pressing need to recover coverages, considering public health service access and socioeconomic disparities.
Main results: Vaccination coverage of children up to 4 years old was 50.2% in Belo Horizonte, and 64.9% in Sete Lagoas. Fear of severe reactions and believing that vaccination against eradicated diseases is unnecessary were the main reasons for vaccination hesitancy.
Implications for services: Recovery of high vaccination coverage among children, considering public health service access conditions and socioeconomic inequities. Acting on reasons for hesitancy that can assist in targeting actions.
Perspectives: The multifactorial context of vaccination hesitancy demands the development of health education strategies to raise awareness about child immunization.
Objetivo: Descrever as coberturas e vacilación de las vacunas del calendario básico infantil en Belo Horizonte y Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais.
Métodos: Inquéritos epidemiológicos de base poblacional realizados, de 2020 a 2022, para estimar coberturas vacunales por tipo de imunobiológico y esquema completo (dosis válidas y aplicadas) segundos estratos socioeconómicos, y los motivos de vacilación vacunal.
Resultados: A cobertura vacunale global con dosis válidas e a vacilación vacunal de pelo menos uma vacuna foram, respectivamente, de 50,2% (IC95% 44,1;56,2) e 1,6% (IC95% 0,9; 2,7), en Belo Horizonte (n = 1.866), e de 64,9% (IC95% 56,9;72,1) y 1,0% (IC95% 0,3;2,8), en Sete Lagoas (n = 451), con diferencias entre los estratos. O medo de reações graves foi o principal motivo de vacilación.
Conclusión: Identificou-se cobertura vacunale abaixo do preconizado para a mayoria das vacunas. La desinformación debe ser combatida, evitando la vacilación vacunal. Há necessidad de recuperar la cobertura vacunale, considerando el acesso y las disparidades socioeconómicas.