Key points

In infants

• The mandatory meningococcal ACWY vaccination program, implemented on January 1, 2025, for infants following an increase in cases of invasive meningococcal infections of types W and Y, has resulted in high vaccination coverage, with nearly 79.6% of infants born in 2025 having received the first dose of the meningococcal ACWY vaccine. Among children born in 2024, before the replacement of the meningococcal C vaccine with the ACWY vaccine, 64.1% had received at least one dose of the tetravalent ACWY meningococcal vaccine by age 21 months. This vaccination coverage is lower than that estimated in 2024 for meningococcal C. It should be noted that vaccination started with a monovalent C vaccine before January 1, 2025, in infants must be continued with a tetravalent ACWY vaccine.
• In 2025, the year the mandatory vaccination against meningococcal B was implemented for infants up to 2 years of age, vaccination coverage against these infections has increased significantly, with 51.9% of infants born in 2024 (aged 21 months) up to date with their vaccinations (compared to 42.4% in 2024), representing an increase of 9.5 percentage points.
• Vaccination coverage for other mandatory infant vaccinations is generally high, with levels above, close to, or at the 95% target set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Nevertheless, in the context of the low-level resurgence of measles circulation in France since 2024, vaccination coverage is insufficient in Réunion, with 80.1% of people having a complete vaccination schedule. Vaccination coverage for the two doses against measles, mumps, and rubella must exceed this 95% target to interrupt the circulation of the virus, which can lead to deaths among vulnerable individuals. Verifying and updating this vaccination status is essential for both children and young adults.

Among adolescents and young adults

• Given the potential severity and increased frequency of invasive meningococcal infections during adolescence, vaccination against meningococcal ACWY is recommended for adolescents, with catch-up vaccination for young adults. In 2025, only 6.9% of 11- to 14-year-olds (17.5% in mainland France) and 2.7% of 15- to 24-year-olds (8.0% in mainland France) had received a dose of this vaccine. Vaccination against meningococcal ACWY must be intensified in these age groups. The inclusion of this vaccine in campaigns conducted in middle schools starting in 2026 will help strengthen protection for young people against these infections. Efforts to improve vaccination coverage must continue in order to achieve herd immunity and reduce the circulation of meningococcal bacteria in other age groups.
• Vaccination coverage against human papillomavirus (HPV) infections continues to increase, with 24.7% of girls (51.6% in mainland France) and 9.4% of 16-year-old boys (32.9% in mainland France) having received a full vaccination series. The gap in vaccination coverage between girls and boys continues to narrow. This progress in Réunion is encouraging, with a 4-point increase for girls and a 3-point increase for boys compared to 2024, but vaccination coverage remains insufficient to reduce the incidence of cancers linked to these infections. The national target set by the ten-year cancer control strategy is 80% for both girls and boys by 2030. Efforts must also continue to accelerate the uptake of HPV vaccination to achieve this goal by leveraging vaccination campaigns in middle schools and reinforcing messages about the importance of vaccinating boys.
  Vaccinating boys is just as essential as vaccinating girls: it contributes to equitable and sustainable protection.

Vaccination Uptake

According to the 2024 Santé publique France Barometer, vaccination uptake remains lower than the rate observed for France as a whole (83.5%), with 79.6% of 18- to 25-year-olds stating they are in favor of vaccination in general.