On this occasion, Santé publique France is publishing data on vaccination coverage in its Public Health Bulletin (BSP), along with data from the 2020 Health Barometer regarding vaccination uptake. The unprecedented health crisis linked to the COVID-19 pandemic must not overshadow the importance of other vaccinations in protecting everyone’s health. Vaccination is a major public health issue and remains the most effective means of prevention to protect against certain serious infections.

In 2020, 80% of respondents stated they were in favor of vaccination in general, a significantly higher result than those obtained in previous years (73.9% in 2019, notably). “Strongly favorable” opinions were shared by more than one-third of respondents, a level not seen since the early 2000s.

Rising Vaccination Coverage

The need to curb infectious diseases has prompted public authorities to make improving vaccination coverage a public health priority and to extend mandatory vaccination to children under 2 years of age. Just over three years after the extension of mandatory vaccination, Santé publique France has published an update on the impact indicators of this extension.

The increase in vaccination uptake among infants subject to the expanded mandatory vaccination requirement continues:

• Vaccination coverage for the 3-dose hexavalent vaccine (DTP, Pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and Hepatitis B) has increased by 6.4 percentage points among children aged 21 months and born in the first quarter of 2019 (90.5%) compared to the estimated rate among children of the same age born in the first quarter of 2017 (84.1%)

• Vaccination coverage for the pneumococcal vaccine increased by 1.7 percentage points among children aged 21 months and born in the first quarter of 2019 (91%) compared to the estimated coverage among children of the same age born in the first quarter of 2017 (89.3%).

• Vaccination coverage for the meningococcal C vaccine (1 dose) increased by 12.2 percentage points among children aged 8 months and born in the first quarter of 2020 (88%) compared to the estimated coverage among children of the same age born in the first quarter of 2018 (75.8%)

• Vaccination coverage for the 2-dose meningococcal C vaccine increased by 9.2 percentage points among children aged 21 months and born in the first quarter of 2019 (90.2%) compared to the estimated coverage among children of the same age born in the first quarter of 2017 (81%).

Among children and adolescents born before the law took effect, Santé publique France notes an increase in vaccination coverage:

• +5.7 percentage points for the first dose of the HPV vaccine among 15-year-old girls born in 2005 (40.7%) compared to girls born in 2004 (34.9%)

• Increase in catch-up vaccination coverage against meningococcal C in all age groups over 2 years of age

The expansion of mandatory vaccination has significantly improved vaccination coverage among infants under two years of age, particularly against meningococcal C and measles; however, these efforts must be strongly supported to reach the 95% target set by the WHO.

More healthcare professionals are undergoing training in vaccination promotion

Across all healthcare professions, enrollment in vaccination promotion initiatives increased by 54.8% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. The 2021 vaccination schedule for healthcare professionals is available on the website of the Ministry of Solidarity and Health.

COVID-19 vaccination coverage also continues to rise

Considered a key component of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination significantly reduces severe cases and deaths caused by the virus. The vaccination campaign began in late December 2020 and will be expanded to the entire adult population starting June 15, 2021.

As of May 17, 2021:

• More than 20 million people have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 8 million people are fully vaccinated, representing 30.8% and 13.4% of the population in France, respectively

According to the results of the CoviPrev survey (wave 23, April 21–23), published in the epidemiological bulletin of May 6, 2021, more than half of the unvaccinated respondents (56%) said they definitely or probably intended to get vaccinated against COVID-19. This percentage has remained stable since February. Older adults are more likely to want to get vaccinated (63%). The proportion of young people aged 18–24 intending to get vaccinated, meanwhile, rose sharply between March (36%) and April (55%).

European Immunization Week is an opportunity to remind everyone that vaccination is the most effective and safest means of prevention against many potentially serious infectious diseases such as meningococcal meningitis, measles, whooping cough, and tetanus.

Furthermore, only a mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19 would allow for the rapid achievement of herd immunity, which could have a very positive impact on the course of the epidemic and prevent the healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed.

See also

• National Public Health Bulletin, May 2021

• Methodological Note

• Regional Public Health Bulletins