a vaccine against the papillomavirus in middle school

Sweets in their mouths, sitting on cushions provided for this purpose, young people aged 12 attending class 5^e at the Jean-Vilar college in La Crèche waiting for their turn. Tuesday, November 26, 2024 in the morning, the principal of the college, Jérôme Sentis, and the nurse, Natacha Patarroni, received reinforcement from the CVP (Public Vaccination Center) team for a first dose of vaccination against the papillomavirus.

The technical advisor doctor of the academic department of National Education and two other nurses, belonging to this structure of the Niort hospital center, are also on deck. Everyone is caring for young people who have been made aware of the prevention of a disease which can cause cervical cancer in girls or sexual cancer in boys. They are pampered and it is worth it. The stakes are enormous: after a certain age, the vaccine no longer works and we know that eight out of ten people will have a papillomavirus infection at least once during their life. “Unfortunately, everyone’s immune capacity is not always enough”recalls one of the speakers.

“The objective is to reach 80% of vaccinated in an age group”warns Cyril Caffiaux, director of the departmental delegation of the Deux-Sèvres Regional Health Agency (ARS). “With this figure reached, we could eradicate uterine cancer”continues the one who was heavily invested in the operation with the partners and the Primary Health Insurance Fund (CPAM). The latter finances vaccination which is therefore completely free for beneficiaries.

For the moment and despite everyone’s efforts, awareness among classes of 6^e or even e-mail or postal letters sent to parents, the rate of positive responses from middle school students contacted varies from 20 to 30%. This may seem modest but since last year, when a test campaign started in Deux-Sèvres, “we have not had any anti-vax reactions”rejoices the team. A doctor still remembers the disengagement during the campaign, last year, from the private colleges of Deux-Sèvres, after the media coverage of a fatal accident in the Nantes region (Loire-Atlantique), “which however had no direct link with vaccination”. This year, the establishments in question have once again engaged in the vaccination campaign.

This second campaign, mainly with the request for authorization from the two parents of the schoolchildren, for the injection of a first dose, will end in December. It is therefore too early to make an assessment for all the colleges in the department but certain results already indicate an increasing vaccination rate. “With an impact in community medicine boosted by this initiative. »

Forty-eight colleges involved

A mobile team from Cegidd (Screening Center for Transmissible Sexual Infections) also operates in the north of the department with the Thouars and Bressuire hospital centers. Finally, this year, forty-eight private and public colleges as well as a regional adapted education establishment are involved.