The Ministry of Health released the new vaccination schedule for 2023 on Wednesday. Several new features should be noted, including the generalization of vaccination against human papillomavirus infections for all 5th year volunteer students, from the start of the next school year.
The 2023 vaccination calendar was published this Wednesday by the Ministry of Health, with some new features. Now, vaccination against rotavirus is “recommended” for all infants aged 6 weeks to 6 months, in a vaccination schedule comprising two or three doses, depending on the serum.
“Rotavirus is the main cause of acute viral gastroenteritis in children under 5 years old. It is a highly contagious virus, responsible for epidemics each year between December and April”, details the ministry.
Another novelty, the annual vaccination against seasonal flu can now be offered “to children without comorbidity aged 2 to 17 years old”. The High Authority for Health (HAS) recommends that it is preferable to use the vaccine administered intranasally.
Emmanuel Macron also announced at the end of February last the generalization of vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) infections for all 5th grade students who volunteer from the start of the next school year, free of charge.
11 mandatory vaccines
In terms of logistics, pharmacists, nurses, midwives and postgraduate students in medicine and pharmacy can now perform vaccinations. The list of vaccines and the target audience for each of the professions will be specified later this year, according to the ministry.
As the ministry reminds us, since January 1, 2018, eight vaccinations, previously recommended, have become mandatory: whooping cough, invasive Haemophilus influenza type B infections, hepatitis B, pneumococcal infections, invasive meningococcal infections serogroup C, measles, mumps and rubella. Three other vaccinations are compulsory: diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis.
Unless medically contraindicated, all infants should be vaccinated within the first 18 months.