The list of compulsory vaccinations for children is amended on January 1, 2025.
The list goes on. From January 1, 2025, vaccination of infants against meningococcal infections will be expanded. Until then, only the vaccine against meningococcal C infections was compulsory. In 2025, infants will also have to be vaccinated against meningococci A, B, W and Y. Vaccination against serogroups A, W and Y was previously only recommended for certain infants at risk. That against meningococci B has been recommended for all infants since 2022.
To summarize, from January 1 the complete list of compulsory vaccinations to be carried out before 18 months will therefore be:
- diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis (DTP)
- whooping cough
- invasive Haemophilus influenzae type B infections
- hepatitis B
- invasive pneumococcal infections
- meningococcus serogroups A, B, C, W and Y
- measles, mumps and rubella.
Concretely, a vaccine (Nimenrix, from Pfizer) will be administered in two doses at 6 and 12 months for meningococci A, C, W and Y; and another (Bexsero from Pfizer) will be given in three doses at 3, 5 and 12 months against meningococcus B.
This decision was taken in the face of a significant increase in cases of meningococcal infections, which have never been so numerous in 10 years. The number of cases particularly increased in 2023, since 560 cases were reported, an increase of more than 70% compared to the previous year, according to the High Authority of Health. This recommended making vaccination against these serogroups compulsory because they are responsible for the majority of cases of infections, with in particular an increase in serogroups W and Y “to levels never seen before” according to Public Health France. A worrying increase since these two serogroups W and Y “lead to mortality rates twice as high” as the others, according to the General Directorate of Health.
Meningococcal infections, although rare, can be very serious. They can cause, especially in children and young adults, meningitis (brain infections) or septicemia (generalized infections). “These infections are fatal in approximately one in ten cases,” according to the High Authority of Health. To best protect babies and children, vaccination of these meningococci will be compulsory from January 2025 and will be covered by Health Insurance at 65%.