This Thursday, November 7, 2024, the Reunion Health Agency and Public Health France publish the results of the regional vaccination coverage survey among the Reunion population. Carried out in 2022 with the support of the Red Cross, this survey aimed to assess the coverage rate of children (particularly those born from January 1, 2018 for 11 compulsory vaccines). If compulsory vaccinations are relatively respected for young children, the vaccination rate for the five other vaccines: MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella), meningococcus type C and pneumococcus) remains insufficient (Photo: www.imazpress.com)
Carried out door to door from March 29 to May 28, 2022 across the island by Red Cross investigators, this survey aimed to obtain essential information to improve knowledge and make it possible to adapt the regional vaccination strategy.
– Mandatory vaccinations: 9 out of 10 children have a complete vaccination schedule –
Carrying out this survey made it possible to update vaccination coverage data in Reunion Island and to characterize trends compared to the results of the survey conducted by the ORS in 2009.
The 11 compulsory vaccinations are relatively respected for children born since January 1, 2018, particularly with regard to children aged 24 to 59 months.
The survey carried out in 2022 demonstrates:
• This vaccination obligation is respected for six vaccines (DTP (Diphtheria-Tetanus-Poliomyelitis), pertussis, Hib (Haemophilus influenzae b) and hepatitis B)
– Measles, meningococcus and whooping cough not sufficiently protected –
Efforts remain to be made for the other five vaccines (MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella), meningococcus type C and pneumococcus).
– For pneumococcus, the objective of 95% is not achieved with complete vaccination coverage of 86.8%.
– For vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), 8 out of 10 children have a complete 2-dose vaccination schedule. This rate is insufficient to protect us from the risk of a measles epidemic.
– For meningococcal type C vaccination, less than 6 out of 10 children have a complete vaccination.
Faced with the increase in cases of measles observed in France and Europe, complete two-dose vaccination constitutes the only prevention lever allowing effective protection of the population and thus avoiding an epidemic. Reunion Island records an insufficient vaccination coverage rate estimated at 82% while the expected objective is 95%. The generalization of vaccination against measles aims to eliminate the disease.
Regarding whooping cough, in a national and European context of resurgence at a high level of intensity, the health situation in Reunion, despite an increase in reports to the ARS, remains measured in comparison with France.
However, the whooping cough vaccination policy aims to reduce severe forms, hospitalizations and deaths linked to the disease which mainly occur in infants under 6 months of age.
• In children aged 7 to 8 years, DTP vaccination coverage remains insufficient
– Only 77.8% of children have a complete diagram
• For young adults (19-28 years), insufficient vaccination coverage is noted for DTP and pertussis, in connection with vaccination boosters not carried out
– 74.3% coverage for the DTP
– 36.7% coverage for whooping cough
It is based on three complementary strategies:
– vaccination is compulsory for infants born from January 1, 2018 at the age of 2 months, 4 months with boosters at 11 months, 6 years and 11-13 years and until adulthood (25 years with possibility of catching up until age 39).
– vaccination is strongly recommended for pregnant women, from the second trimester of pregnancy, favoring the period between 20 and 36 weeks of amenorrhea.
– in the absence of vaccination of the mother during pregnancy, vaccination of the mother postpartum and of people likely to be in close contact with the infant during its first 6 months of life is recommended (strategy known as cocooning).
– The action plan to improve vaccination coverage in Reunion –
The results of this survey allow the ARS to propose the implementation of the following actions:
– inform and promote compulsory vaccination to eradicate the 11 contagious diseases through awareness campaigns among parents, national education and health professionals,
– propose targeted vaccination catch-up actions, when vaccination coverage is considered insufficient, in view of the
national recommendations and the regional context:
• catch-up vaccinations for infants, young children and adolescents; work and consultation meetings will be organized with health professionals (liberal doctors, pediatricians, in connection with the PMI, school health in connection with the rectorate),
• initiate a catch-up vaccination campaign among students (targets young adults)
– DTP and whooping cough reminders for example – in connection with university preventive medicine,
• in pre- and post-natal follow-up, reminder of the benefit of vaccination (particularly against whooping cough) for pregnant women, from the second trimester of pregnancy, favoring the period between 20 and 36 weeks of amenorrhea, and vaccination of the postpartum mother and people likely to be in close contact with the infant during its first 6 months of life.
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News from Reunion, Health, ARS, Vaccination
