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Meningitis: from January 2025, infants must be vaccinated against five strains of the disease
Meningitis: from January 2025, infants must be vaccinated against five strains of the disease
(France 2)
Infants will have to be vaccinated against five strains of meningitis from next January. Bacterial meningitis is very contagious and dangerous for children. This year we are seeing a rebound in fatal cases.
A miracle. Five years ago, Flavio Da Pozzo’s life changed. At 17, he suffered a serious infection caused by a new, extremely aggressive strain of meningitis. His right leg had to be amputated. There were 560 new cases of meningitis in 2023, +72% in one year. At the Pasteur Institute, researchers are tracking new strains. W, Y, A is the name given to these new particularly contagious and virulent enemies.
The compulsory vaccine for one strain for the moment
Faced with this situation, the government wants to expand vaccination. In infants, it is obligatory for strain C. From 2025, it will count for strains A, W and Y. Annie Hamel, whose son died of meningitis, fears a spread during the Olympic Games. Today, it is possible to have your children and adolescents vaccinated against the new strains, but the vaccine is not reimbursed by Health Insurance.
