French people under 30 are not sufficiently vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella. In 2011, 15,000 cases of measles were recorded in France. An epidemic remains possible.
While a few days ago, US health authoritiesannounced that the measles and rubella viruses had been eliminated from their territory, in France epidemiologists took stock of our vaccination rate against these contagious diseases… This study reveals that the vaccination rate of the French is below the threshold set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Two public health surveys were conducted between 2008-2009 and 2009-2010. They reveal that respectively 7%, 8% and 14% of French people have no antibodies to measles, rubella and mumps. They have not been vaccinated or have not been immunized by contracting the disease.
But to eliminate measles, the World Health Organization (WHO) has set a minimum vaccination threshold of 95%. A rate that France therefore does not reach.
The National Institute for Prevention and Health Education (Inpes) recalls that “all children must be vaccinated with two shots of MMR vaccine: the first at the age of 12 months and the second between 16 and 18 months. Even if this vaccine is not mandatory, it is 100% covered by health insurance for all children up to and including 17 years old. Then, it is reimbursed at 65%. And to interrupt the active transmission of the virus, all people born since 1980 who have not been vaccinated or who have only received a single dose of the vaccine (and who have never contracted measles) should take a catch-up vaccination.
