Frédéric Valletoux, Minister Delegate for Health and Prevention, announced on Friday 26 April that meningitis vaccination for infants will be compulsory from 2025. This decision follows a favourable opinion from the French National Authority for Health (HAS)

From 1 January 2025, vaccination against serogroups ACWY and B in infants will be compulsory, once the regulations have been published, says the Ministry of Health in collaboration with Santé publique France.

In March, the French National Authority for Health (HAS) recommended compulsory vaccination for infants under one year of age. At present, only vaccination against meningococcal serogroup C is compulsory for infants, while vaccination against serogroup B is recommended. From now on, a tetravalent vaccine targeting serogroups A, C, W and Y will be administered in three successive doses (at 3, 5 and 12 months), while another vaccine targeting serogroup B will also be administered.

This decision is aimed at countering the resurgence of bacterial meningitis caused by meningococci, which is generally more serious than viral meningitis, and the rise in meningococcal strains Y and W.