Improving the effectiveness of the measles vaccination programme in a population where many refuse vaccination

The purpose of measles vaccination is to protect from clinical measles infection and its complications. In the Netherlands, groups of people who decline vaccination (vaccine decliners) are an important factor in the occurrence of regular measles epidemics. In the most recent epidemic in 1999-2000, 3292 cases were reported, most of whom were unvaccinated for religious reasons.