The Ministries of Health and National Education have announced that 5th grade students can once again be vaccinated free of charge against the papillomavirus, which causes several cancers, within their school establishment.
- For the 2024 school year, the Ministries of Health and National Education are renewing the vaccination campaign against the papillomavirus in middle schools.
- The government still wants to reach 80% of adolescents vaccinated by 2030.
- In order to be vaccinated within the school establishment by health professionals, girls and boys in 5th grade must have the written consent of both parents.
Although the first edition of this vaccination campaign against the papillomavirus was not very successful last year, the results were “encouraging.” “Among 12-year-old adolescents, i.e. those mainly affected by the vaccination campaign in middle school, estimates of vaccination coverage against human papillomavirus infections will increase by 17 points at the end of 2023 compared to the end of 2022, reaching 48% (55% for girls and 41% for boys)”, can we read in a balance sheet from Public Health France published on April 26.
Papillomavirus: reaching 80% of children vaccinated by 2030
This is why the Ministries of Health and National Education have indicated, at theAFP on August 28, that this system will be renewed for the new school year. Thus, as last year, students in 5th grade, who have not yet benefited from vaccination protection, will be able to be vaccinated free of charge within their school establishment. The government’s objective? Still to reach 80% of children vaccinated by 2030.
As a reminder, vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, of which there are more than 150 types, has been recommended since 2007 for girls aged 11 to 14, and recommended for boys since January 2021. These infections, which are transmitted by skin-to-skin contact during sexual intercourse, are among the most common sexually transmitted infections and can cause cancers of the uterus, oropharynx (throat) and anus.
5th grade students receive two doses spaced at least five months apart
Currently, two vaccines against papillomavirus are available in France: Cervarix and Gardasil 9. “However, any new vaccination should now be started (and completed) with Gardasil 9 vaccine for persons not previously vaccinated,” specified Health insurance. The vaccination schedule consists of two doses spaced at least five months apart. The complete two-dose vaccination can be carried out either over a single school year or over two school years, depending on the organization chosen in the region. To be able to benefit from it, students, being vaccinated by health professionals, must have the written consent of both their parents, who will receive a new letter “within a few days to reiterate the information message.”
