Papillomavirus, flu: vaccination is progressing in France but remains insufficient

2023-04-25 15:58:00

Posted Apr 25, 2023, 3:23 PMUpdated on Apr 25, 2023, 3:58 PM

Are the French sufficiently vaccinated? In a study published on Tuesday, on the occasion of European Vaccination Week, Public Health France (SPF) takes stock for France, all vaccines combined.

Some results are encouraging. But efforts are still needed, while vaccination remains the most effective means of prevention to protect against certain serious infections and reduce the risk of epidemics.

Insufficient blankets

First lesson: “vaccination coverage against human papillomavirus infections is very largely insufficient in France”. In 2022, protection remained low among young girls: 47.8% of those under 15 had received an injection. This figure is increasing (+ 2 points), but the increase is less marked than in previous years (+5.2 points between 2020 and 2021). Vaccination coverage is also very low in the overseas departments, particularly in Réunion and Martinique.

Among young boys, the coverage rate is even lower, although vaccination has been recommended for two years. Vaccination coverage reached only 12.8% for the first dose at age 15, against 6% last year.

However, the vaccine prevents up to 90% of HPV infections causing cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, penis and also certain cancers of the oropharynx. “In some countries such as Australia, Sweden or the United Kingdom, where vaccination programs in schools have been deployed, high vaccination coverage has made it possible to observe a reduction in the incidence of precancerous lesions and/or invasive cancers of the cervix”, note SPF. In Australia, thanks to vaccination, the rate of people infected with HPV fell from 22.7% in 2005-2007 to 1.5% in 2015 among young women aged 18-24.

In France, the coverage rate could rapidly increase. On February 28, during a visit to Jarnac, the Head of State announced, from the start of the next school year, the launch of a vaccination campaign in colleges for 5th graders. “This helps prevent a lot of cancers,” argued Emmanuel Macron.

Another point of vigilance has been identified by Public Health France. “Vaccination coverage against influenza remains insufficient in populations at risk”, warns the public establishment. The most vulnerable people are thus only 51.5% to be protected, against 52.6% the previous year. This level remains higher than before the pandemic, but far from the 75% target set by the WHO.

This vaccination coverage is also marked by social inequalities in health. It is thus higher in people with higher levels of education.

Increased adherence to vaccination

However, positive points are highlighted. The French, for example, are more likely to be in favor of vaccination in general (84.6% in 2022 in metropolitan France, compared to 82.5% in 2021).

In infants, born from 1 January 2018, for whom the extension of the vaccination obligation applies, the increase in the use of vaccination continues (+1 point for the vaccination coverage of the 2nd dose of the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella). Vaccination coverage also increases in children and adolescents who are not covered by the vaccination obligation (between +1.1 and +4.3 points for vaccination against meningococcal C in all age groups beyond 4 years.).

Above all, “a major benefit is expected” from the introduction, since April 2022, of vaccination against invasive meningococcal type B infections in the vaccination schedule. These invasive infections require rapid treatment and are potentially devastating for the infant.