2025 Innovations
- PARIS – France's Ministry of Health has released its updated vaccination schedule for 2025, incorporating recommendations from the High Authority for Health (HAS).
- The 2025 schedule introduces several key changes, including new mandatory vaccinations for infants, updated recommendations for adolescents and young adults, and expanded pneumococcal vaccination guidelines for older adults.
- Amidst a concerning rise in invasive meningococcal infections, including meningitis and septicemia, the 2025 schedule mandates broader vaccination for infants.
France Updates 2025 Vaccination Schedule: Meningococcal, Pneumococcal, and RSV Vaccines Highlighted
Table of Contents
- France Updates 2025 Vaccination Schedule: Meningococcal, Pneumococcal, and RSV Vaccines Highlighted
- Mandatory Meningococcal Vaccination for Infants
- Expanded Pneumococcal Vaccination for Seniors
- RSV Vaccination recommendations for pregnant Women and seniors
- Pertussis (whooping Cough) Vaccination Reminder
- Dengue Vaccination for Overseas Residents
- Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) Vaccination Catch-Up
- Mpox (formerly Monkeypox) Vaccination
- France’s 2025 Vaccination Schedule: your Questions Answered
PARIS – France’s Ministry of Health has released its updated vaccination schedule for 2025, incorporating recommendations from the High Authority for Health (HAS). The calendar outlines required and recommended vaccinations for residents based on age, specific health conditions, and occupational exposures.The schedule, subject to annual revisions and potential mid-year updates, details vaccine management timelines.
The 2025 schedule introduces several key changes, including new mandatory vaccinations for infants, updated recommendations for adolescents and young adults, and expanded pneumococcal vaccination guidelines for older adults. Here’s a look at the major updates:
Mandatory Meningococcal Vaccination for Infants
Amidst a concerning rise in invasive meningococcal infections, including meningitis and septicemia, the 2025 schedule mandates broader vaccination for infants. The Ministry of Health emphasizes the need to protect infants, who, along with adolescents, are especially vulnerable to these possibly fatal infections, and to curb disease transmission.
Since Jan. 1, 2025, vaccination against meningococcal serogroups ACWY and B is compulsory for infants, extending until their second birthday.
Infants who received a first dose of meningococcal C vaccine before this date, or who remain unvaccinated, require a catch-up dose of ACWY meningococcal vaccine between 12 and 14 months of age.
The previously compulsory meningococcus C vaccine is replaced by the ACWY vaccine in 2025.Vaccination against meningococcus B, formerly only recommended, is now also mandatory.
The 2025 schedule also recommends ACWY vaccination for adolescents aged 11-14 and young adults aged 15-24, regardless of their prior vaccination status against these infections.
Expanded Pneumococcal Vaccination for Seniors
Pneumococcus, a bacterium spread through respiratory droplets, causes lung infections, particularly pneumonia, which can be severe in vulnerable individuals.
While pneumococcal vaccination is already mandatory for infants born as Jan. 1, 2018, the 2025 schedule extends this proposal to individuals aged 65 and older, citing increasing antibiotic resistance. This vaccination involves a single dose of the Pneumococcal Prevenar 20® vaccine.
RSV Vaccination recommendations for pregnant Women and seniors
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is highly contagious during winter, infecting the upper airways and, in some cases, the lungs.
In young children under two, RSV can cause bronchiolitis, sometimes requiring hospitalization or intensive care.
To protect infants, the 2025 schedule recommends RSV vaccination with the Abrysvo vaccine for pregnant women between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation, prior to the winter season and until the end of the epidemic period.
The National Agency for the Safety of Medicine and Health Products (ANSM) notes that RSV can cause serious respiratory complications in seniors, including acute respiratory distress syndrome, exacerbation of underlying cardiopulmonary disease, or pneumonia requiring respiratory support. In some cases, RSV can be fatal for older adults.
The 2025 schedule recommends RSV vaccination for individuals aged 75 and older between September and January. the same recommendation applies to those 65 and older with chronic respiratory or cardiac conditions, as RSV infection can substantially complicate these conditions.
Pertussis (whooping Cough) Vaccination Reminder
Due to a resurgence of pertussis in France as early 2024, leading to a high number of deaths among newborns and infants, the High Authority for Health reactivated recommendations in the 2024 schedule, which remain in effect for 2025.
Adults in close contact with newborns over 25 years old whose last pertussis vaccination was more than five years ago should receive a booster dose of the DTaP vaccine if the child’s mother was not vaccinated during pregnancy or gave birth less than a month after vaccination.
this recommendation also applies to professionals whose previous vaccination was more than five years ago and who may participate in health emergency responses during epidemics or large gatherings.
Dengue Vaccination for Overseas Residents
Dengue fever is re-emerging, particularly with the spread of Aedes mosquitoes in many regions.
While not mandatory, the 2025 schedule recommends dengue vaccination with the Qdenga vaccine for residents of the French Antilles, French Guiana, Mayotte, and Réunion.
Specific populations are particularly targeted:
- Children and adolescents aged 6 to 16
- Individuals aged 17 to 60 with comorbidities that increase the risk of severe dengue, such as sickle cell anemia, hereditary blood disorders, intricate arterial hypertension, diabetes, obesity, kidney failure, or chronic cardiopulmonary conditions.
Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) Vaccination Catch-Up
The 2025 schedule recommends, but does not mandate, MMR vaccination catch-up for individuals born after 1980 who have never been vaccinated or who received only one dose of the MMR vaccine.
If the single dose was administered before 12 months of age,a third dose is necessary.
Mpox (formerly Monkeypox) Vaccination
Since 2022, cases of mpox have been reported in France, including 215 cases in 2024, some requiring hospitalization.
The 2025 schedule outlines two vaccination strategies: vaccinating individuals in contact with mpox patients and immunocompromised individuals in contact with a confirmed case, and preventive vaccination for people at high risk of exposure to the virus.
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France’s 2025 Vaccination Schedule: your Questions Answered
(Introduction)
France’s Ministry of Health has updated its vaccination schedule for 2025, bringing key changes that impact residents of all ages.This updated schedule incorporates the recommendations of the High Authority for Health (HAS) and aims to protect the French population from various infectious diseases. In this article, we’ll delve into the specifics of the 2025 vaccination schedule, answering your most pressing questions about the new requirements and recommendations.
What’s New in the 2025 French Vaccination Schedule?
The 2025 schedule features notable updates, including new mandatory vaccinations for infants, updated recommendations for adolescents and young adults, and expanded guidelines for older adults.We will explore each of these in detail.
Mandatory Meningococcal Vaccination for infants: What Does This Mean?
Q: Why is meningococcal vaccination now mandatory for infants in France?
A: The 2025 schedule mandates meningococcal vaccination for infants due to a concerning rise in invasive meningococcal infections such as meningitis and septicemia. These infections can be severe,particularly for infants and adolescents.broadening vaccination efforts aims to protect vulnerable populations and curb disease transmission.
Q: What meningococcal vaccines are now required for infants?
A: Since January 1, 2025, vaccination against meningococcal serogroups ACWY and B is compulsory for infants.
Q: What if my infant received the meningococcal C vaccine before 2025?
A: Infants who received a first dose of the meningococcal C vaccine before january 1, 2025, or who remain unvaccinated, require a catch-up dose of the ACWY meningococcal vaccine between 12 and 14 months of age.
Q: Are adolescents and young adults also included in the meningococcal recommendations?
A: Yes, the schedule recommends ACWY vaccination for adolescents aged 11-14 and young adults aged 15-24, irrespective of their prior vaccination status for these infections.
Pneumococcal Vaccination: What’s Changing for Seniors?
Q: What is pneumococcal vaccination, and why is it critically important?
A: Pneumococcal vaccination protects against Streptococcus pneumoniae, a bacterium that spreads through respiratory droplets. It can cause lung infections like pneumonia,which can be severe in at-risk individuals.
Q: How has the 2025 schedule changed the recommendations for pneumococcal vaccination?
A: The 2025 schedule extends pneumococcal vaccination to individuals aged 65 and older who were already mandatory for infants born as of January 1,2018,citing increasing antibiotic resistance. This involves a single dose of the pneumococcal Prevenar 20® vaccine.
RSV Vaccination: who Is It Recommended For?
Q: What is RSV, and why is RSV vaccination important?
A: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that infects the airways, particularly during the winter months. In young children, RSV can cause bronchiolitis, potentially requiring hospitalization. In seniors, RSV can lead to serious complications like pneumonia.
Q: Who is the 2025 schedule recommending RSV vaccination for?
A: The 2025 schedule recommends RSV vaccination for:
Pregnant women between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation, using the Abrysvo vaccine before the winter season and until the end of the epidemic period, to protect their infants.
Individuals aged 75 and older, between September and January.
Individuals aged 65 and older with chronic cardiac or respiratory conditions.
Addressing Pertussis, Dengue, MMR, and Mpox
Q: What is pertussis, and what are the 2025 recommendations regarding pertussis vaccination?
A: Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory infection. Due to a resurgence of pertussis as early as 2024, the High Authority for Health reactivated recommendations in the 2024 schedule, which are still in effect in 2025.
Adults in close contact with newborns over 25 years old whose last pertussis vaccination was more than five years ago should receive a booster dose of the DTaP vaccine if the child’s mother was not vaccinated during pregnancy, or the child was born less than a month after the mother’s vaccination.
This also applies to Health Emergency Responders
Q: Are there any recommendations for dengue vaccination?
A: Yes. The 2025 schedule recommends dengue vaccination using the Qdenga vaccine for residents of the french Antilles, French Guiana, Mayotte, and Réunion.
Q: Who is targeted for dengue vaccination?
A: The target populations are:
Children and adolescents aged 6 to 16.
* Individuals aged 17 to 60 with underlying health conditions (e.g., sickle cell anemia, diabetes, obesity, etc.) who may have a higher risk of severe dengue.
Q: What about Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccination?
A: The 2025 schedule recommends MMR vaccination catch-up for individuals born after 1980 who have never been vaccinated or who received only one dose of the MMR vaccine. Individuals who received a single dose before 12 months of age require a third dose.
Q: What is the Mpox (formerly Monkeypox) regarding vaccination information?
A: The 2025 schedule outlines two vaccination strategies.One involves vaccinating individuals in contact with mpox patients and immunocompromised individuals in contact with a confirmed case and preventive vaccination for people at high risk of exposure to the virus.
Conclusion
The 2025 French vaccination schedule reflects a commitment to public health by focusing on protecting vulnerable populations and addressing emerging health challenges. Consulting with your healthcare provider is essential for personalized advice, ensuring you and your loved ones stay up-to-date with these important health recommendations! Remember to discuss any concerns or questions you may have regarding vaccination with a healthcare professional.
