On the occasion of European Vaccination Week, the ARS reveals that Normandy is one of the regions of France where vaccination coverage is the highest. Interview with Dr Jocelyn Michon, doctor in the infectious diseases department at Caen University Hospital.
The Normans don’t shy away from bites when it comes to protecting themselves. Not a surprise when you know that the region was the most vaccinated in France against Covid-19. According to data from Public Health France, Normandy is one of the leading territories with the highest vaccination coverage. In particular, she is a model student when it comes to the vaccination of children.
93.2% of infants are up to date with the hexavalent vaccine (tetanus, poliomyelitis, pertussis, Haemophilusinfluenzae b, hepatitis B), while the national average is 91.2%. As far as the flu is concerned, Normandy is on average 4 or 5 points above the national average, whether the inhabitants are under 65 (36.8% against 31.9%) or over (60, 5% against 56.8%).
This Wednesday, May 3, the Caen University Hospital organized a free consultation and vaccination day. The operation allowed about thirty patients to update themselves with certain vaccines, under the leadership of several doctors including Dr Jocelyn Michon, doctor in the infectious diseases department at the CHU de Caen. “By talking to people, it helps to take stock of whether they are up to date with their reminders or to know if there are other vaccines that they would need and that they do not know “.
The practitioner comes out in particular with an important vaccine for adults and yet little known, for which the lack of information is glaring. “There is poor knowledge both in the population and among doctors of the vaccine against pneumococci. However, all immunocompromised people should be vaccinated. For example, only 10 to 12% of diabetics have a complete vaccination.
According to Dr. Michon, all people with cardiac, renal, respiratory, hepatic pathology or simply over the age of 65 should be vaccinated. “The pneumococcus can cause aggressive infections, in the lungs, meninges, bacteremia… Serious diseases, difficult to treat”.
In its 2022 report, Public Health France reports poor vaccination coverage for HPV, the human papillomavirus. It remains average among young girls (51.2% for the complete scheme at age 16) and very low among boys of the same age (11.2%). The figures should increase very quickly because from the start of the 2023 school year, vaccination will be generalized to all 5th graders.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Studies estimate the risk for men and women of being confronted with this virus during sexual life between 70 and 80%. The infection is responsible for 6,000 new cases of cancer and 30,000 precancerous lesions of the cervix each year.
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