On January 1, eight new vaccines were added to the list of three mandatory (against diphtheria, the tetanus and the poliomyelitis) : L’haemophilus influenzae type B, the whooping cough, L’Hepatitis B, the measles, the mumps, the rubella, the meningococcus C and the pneumococcus.
And this extension of the vaccination obligation seems to be paying off. On the occasion of the interministerial health committee which was held this Monday, March 25, the government announced that the vaccination coverage of babies had significantly increased in France, allowing “Better protection against childhood illnesses”, relate BFM TV.
Reassure parents
Indeed, according to the first estimates of the health authorities:
- 98.6% of children born between January and May 2018 were covered by the hexavalent vaccine at the age of seven months. A number only 93.1% before measurement. The injection protects against both diphtheria, tetanus, polio, haemophilius influenzae type B, pertussis and hepatitis B. It is performed at 2 months, then at 4 and 11 months – just like that against pneumococcus.
- 75.7% were covered against meningococcal C infections, compared to 39.3% in 2017. The vaccine is given at 5 and 12 months. The MMR vaccine is carried out at 12 months, then between 16 and 18 months.
The Minister of Health Agnès Buzyn also reports a positive generalization of vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) and against influenza, while they are not concerned by the obligation.
The passage from three to eleven compulsory vaccines had been voted in the framework of the 2018 budget of Social Security. A response to the observation of mistrust of a part of the population towards vaccines, as well as the context of the resurgence of certain diseases like measles. In addition, if vaccines have become mandatory for children born after January 2018, vaccination coverage “Also increases for children born before January 1, before the obligation, which shows that families are reassured”, underlined the minister during questions to the government of March 13.
Find the 2019 vaccination calendar here.
Read also :
- Immunizing babies: what does the science say?
- Childhood meningitis: 1 in 4 deaths could have been avoided
