The updates to the 2024 vaccination schedule aim to provide better protection against pneumococcal and meningococcal infections, as well as against measles and shingles.

Today, Santé publique France published estimates of HPV vaccination coverage in its Vaccination bulletin, taking into account vaccinations administered in middle schools as well as in private practices. The data indicate that HPV vaccination coverage is increasing.
Launched in middle schools in the fall of 2023, the HPV vaccination campaign for girls and boys in seventh grade represents a major public health challenge: improving vaccination coverage against this infection, which is responsible for 6,000 new cases of cancer and 30,000 precancerous lesions of the cervix each year.

What’s New in the 2024 Vaccination Schedule

Vaccination against pneumococcal infections

The new 15-valent conjugate vaccine Vaxneuvance® has been incorporated into the strategy for preventing pneumococcal infections in infants and individuals under the age of 18. Once it becomes available and is covered by insurance, the 15-valent conjugate vaccine Vaxneuvance® and the 13-valent conjugate vaccine Prevenar13® may be used interchangeably, particularly for the mandatory vaccination of infants born on or after January 1, 2018.

In adults, the inclusion of the new 20-valent conjugate vaccine Prevenar 20® in the vaccination schedule, with a single-dose regimen, simplifies the current vaccination schedule. As soon as it becomes available and covered by insurance, the Prevenar 20® vaccine may be used preferentially in the strategy for preventing pneumococcal infections in individuals aged 18 and older.

Vaccination against invasive meningococcal infections

The tetravalent ACWY vaccine is recommended for infants and adolescents aged 11 to 14 years. Catch-up vaccination against ACWY meningococcal disease is recommended for individuals aged 15 to 24 years. These recommendations may be implemented as soon as the vaccines are covered under general health insurance. Note that mandatory vaccination against serogroups ACWY and B for infants will take effect on January 1, 2025, following the publication of the relevant regulations.

Vaccination against Shingles

The Shingrix® vaccine is now included in the vaccination strategy against shingles. It is also recommended for immunocompromised adults aged 18 and older. The preferential use of this vaccine is recommended for people aged 65 and older. These recommendations can be implemented as soon as the Shingrix® vaccine is covered under standard health insurance.

Measles Vaccination

To ensure better protection, an additional dose of MMR is recommended for people born after 1980 who received their first vaccination before the age of one.

The vaccination schedule is subject to updates based on the latest vaccination-related news. Healthcare professionals are encouraged to regularly check the Ministry of Health’s website, where the most recent version is published.

An Increase in HPV Vaccination

Launched in the fall of 2023, the HPV vaccination campaign for girls and boys in seventh grade made the vaccine free and accessible to as many people as possible, while also raising awareness among young people and parents about the importance of this vaccination. The information campaign rolled out during the middle school vaccination drive likely had a positive impact on vaccination rates in the community as well.

Thus, among 12-year-olds—that is, those primarily targeted by the middle school vaccination campaign—estimates of vaccination coverage against human papillomavirus infections rose by 17 percentage points by the end of 2023 compared to the end of 2022, reaching 48% (55% for girls and 41% for boys).

Similarly, vaccination coverage against HPV infections is increasing among young people aged 15 and older: in 2023, it is 55% for a single dose among 15-year-old girls (vs. 48% the previous year) and 45% for the full series among 16-year-old girls (vs. 41% in 2022).

For young boys, vaccination against HPV infections has been recommended for the past three years. Vaccination coverage in 2023 is 26% for the first dose at age 15 vs. 13% the previous year, representing a 13-point increase. Vaccination coverage for two doses (full course) among 16-year-old boys is also on the rise (16% in 2023 vs. 8.5% in 2022).

This upward trend is expected to continue, as vaccination prevents up to 90% of HPV infections that cause various cancers, the most common of which is cervical cancer.

Very common infections

About 8 out of 10 people are exposed to this virus during their lifetime. In 60% of cases, infection occurs at the onset of sexual activity. Condoms provide only partial protection against infection. Human papillomavirus infections can lead to various cancers: cervical, anal, vaginal, vulvar, and penile cancers, as well as certain cancers of the head and neck.

Vaccination against human papillomavirus infections has been recommended in France since 2007, primarily for young girls, and since January 1, 2021, for boys. In fact, men contribute equally to the transmission of the infection within the population and are also affected by HPV infections. Vaccination helps protect them against the development of lesions and indirectly protects women.

HPV vaccination is recommended for girls and boys aged 11 to 14, with a two-dose schedule administered six months apart. Additionally, for those who have not been vaccinated by age 14, catch-up vaccination is recommended for young women and young men aged 15 through 19: three doses are then required.