The high health authority (HA) recommended even stronger measures on Tuesday, March 18 to increase vaccination against meningococcal, already extended since January, while meningitis has experienced an increasingly marked outbreak in France.
These recommendations are part of “a 2025 beginning marked by a particularly significant increase in invasive meningococcal infections,” he said in a statement. The beginning of 2025, with 184 cases in the first two months of the year, was marked by a much greater number of cases than a year earlierAlthough 2024 had experienced an unprecedented level for twenty years, with 615 cases.
Invasive meningococcal infections are severe transmission infections, whose result can be quickly fatal despite the treatment due to its ray character, remember.
Méningococci are bacteria that cause more serious meningitis. They kill a patient in a way of lightning when they are not ordered and, even if they are, lead to high mortality and a great risk of consequences.
Vaccination is already expanded on January 1
The rules on vaccination had already changed since January, in particular to respond to the increase in new strains: A, and W, the latter being particularly deadly, with 20% death in 2024 as Ha.
They almost supplanted Meningococcus C, which was pointed uniquely by a vaccine. However, strain B – objective of another vaccine – remains the most widespread.
Babies under one year old have to receive a vaccine aimed at strains A, C, W E Y, and not only C.
But he has wanted to go further: now he recommends that this vaccine becomes mandatory up to two years. In the immediate future, he even recommends giving it to all children under three years. This vaccine, known as Tetravalent, is also recommended for children from 11 to 14 years.
Young adults asked to be vaccinated
For teenagers and young adults, he has called a great vaccination campaign for young people aged 15 to 24 years never vaccinated against Meningococcal, an age group particularly beaten at the beginning of the year.
A campaign of this type is already underway in Rennes, where there was a fatal case in early February.
At the same time, he has renewed his recommendations on the B vaccine, which would remain mandatory up to two years. But she advocated up to five years in children who have never received it.
As for the oldest, its position seems complex. He does not recommend it for adolescents, considering his protection time too short, but he hopes that he can be reimbursed for every 15-24 years wishing to receive it.
Source: BFM TV
