Health · Public Health & Disease · 2 hrs ago
France’s child vaccine coverage improved after expanding requirements
In 2018, France made more than a dozen childhood vaccines mandatory, including vaccines against measles, meningitis and polio.
Some researchers feared the stricter rules would deepen opposition, but sociologist Jeremy Ward later said that did not happen.
Eight years on, coverage for several vaccines is above the level considered ideal for limiting the spread of infection, while some other rates have nearly doubled but remain below that level.
France had long been among the countries with the highest vaccine hesitancy, and a 2019 survey found many French people doubted vaccine safety or effectiveness.
In Brazil, childhood vaccination rates fell from 2015 and worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic, but coverage has recently begun to recover; the share of children receiving a first measles, mumps and rubella vaccine dose rose from 74% in 2021 to 95% in 2024.
Experts say raising vaccination rates takes more than countering false information, and point to France as an example of other possible measures.
The French experience may offer lessons for Brazil, where experts also cite reduced public health investment, disruption to the immunisation programme and pandemic-related difficulties as causes of the decline.
France expanded its childhood vaccine requirements in 2018.
Researchers warned the change could increase controversy and opposition to vaccines.
Eight years later, coverage for several vaccines was above the target considered necessary for herd immunity.
For other vaccines, coverage nearly doubled in a year but remained below the ideal level.
Experts say France’s experience shows that improving vaccination rates requires more than countering misinformation.
- Who
- France and children covered by its vaccination programme.
- What
- Childhood vaccine requirements were expanded, and coverage later improved for several vaccines.
- When
- The requirements changed in 2018; the article describes the situation eight years later.
- Where
- France.
- Why
- The article says the policy aimed to increase childhood vaccination; it does not state the government’s specific reason for expanding the requirements.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
France changed its laws and strengthened requirements for more than a dozen childhood vaccines.
Researchers warned that the stronger requirements could increase controversy and opposition to vaccination.
A Wellcome Institute survey found that one in three French people considered vaccines unsafe.
Coverage for several vaccines was above the target considered necessary for herd immunity, while other rates had nearly doubled in a year but remained below the ideal.
- Law change
- 2018
- Vaccines affected
- More than a dozen childhood vaccines
- French people who considered vaccines unsafe
- One in three, according to a 2019 Wellcome Institute survey
- Survey reach
- More than 140,000 people across 144 countries
- Coverage outcome
- Several vaccine rates were above the target considered necessary for herd immunity
What people are saying
We were clearly wrong, that was not what happened