New Vaccination program to Protect French Middle Schoolers from Meningococcal Disease
PARIS – Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, French 5th grade students will be offered free vaccination against invasive meningococcal ACWY infections, a potentially life-threatening disease seeing a concerning rise in cases nationwide. The program, extending to students in both public and participating private schools, aims to curb the increasing incidence of this bacterial infection, especially among adolescents and young adults.
This new vaccination initiative builds upon the existing HPV vaccination program already offered to 5th grade students for the past two years. Health officials cite a important increase in meningococcal cases, with 615 reported in 2024 – the highest number since 2010 – compared to a typical annual average of 500.
invasive meningococcal ACWY infections can lead to serious health consequences,including meningitis and septicemia. Vaccination is recommended for all individuals aged 11 to 14, regardless of prior vaccination status, and requires only one dose. The ACWY vaccine can be administered concurrently with the HPV vaccine during the same vaccination session.
The program will be entirely free for families, fully covered by French health insurance, but requires written consent from both parents. Information sessions for parents and students will be held at the start of the school year, followed by vaccination sessions conducted by mobile teams from vaccination centers between January and June.
For more information on meningococcal vaccination, visit https://vaccination-info-service.fr/Les-maladies-et-leurs-vaccins/Meningites-et-septicemies-a-meningocoques. Details on the HPV vaccination campaign can also be found through the same resource.
