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France Expands School Vaccination Campaign to Include Meningococcal Vaccine
PARIS – France is broadening its free vaccination campaign in middle schools to include protection against ACWY meningococci, a bacteria responsible for severe forms of meningitis, the Ministries of Health and National Education announced Wednesday. The initiative, already offering HPV vaccinations, will now provide students with the opportunity to receive both vaccines simultaneously.
The expanded campaign aims to bolster public health by preventing perhaps life-threatening infections. Students aged 11 to 14 attending public or private colleges under contract, and also those in select medico-social establishments, are eligible for the free vaccinations. This builds on existing efforts to increase HPV vaccination rates, which have shown promising gains in recent years.
Recent data indicates that nearly 60% of 15-year-old girls have received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine in 2024, a rise of over 10 percentage points as 2022. HPV vaccination coverage among boys has nearly tripled, reaching almost 37%. Health authorities are targeting an 80% vaccination rate for young people by 2030.
ACWY meningococcal infections cause several dozen deaths annually in France.parental consent forms are being collected until the winter holidays, with vaccinations scheduled to take place between January and June 2026, varying by region. Students will need to present thier health record and written consent from both parents on the day of vaccination.
