BCG Vaccine is not mandatory in most regions in France

One day, my sister and I were talking on YM about vaccination for babies, and she mentioned BCG. I don't remember that my baby had this vaccine, I wanted to be sure and I checked my baby's mon carnet de santé (a health record book that document and contains the medical information needed to monitor the health of a baby until the age of 16. It is also a medium for dialogue between health professionals and families, providing benchmarks on the development of child and adolescent counseling for parents and prevention messages.), and I learned that my baby didn't have it in the hospital. My husband booked an appointment with the doctor after I told him about it. The doctor said that BCG vaccine is not mandatory in this region that we live in, but we can ask to have it if we want. Since we travel a lot, I insisted that my baby should have it. Another doctor will give the vaccine to our baby on February.

In the Philippines, BCG vaccines are given to all newborns. It's not the same here. In France, BCG vaccines are only given to children who are exposed to high risk (living in Ile de France or Guyana, family history, or born from parents originating in a country rife with tuberculosis, living in makeshift housing).

Here are the schedules of vaccination in France (this can be found on pages 88-89 of mon carnet de santé and also on the website of French administration):

At birth

v   BCG only for children exposed to high risk (living in Ile de France or Guyana, family history, or born from parents originating in a country rife with tuberculosis, living in makeshift housing). For children at risk, vaccination may be practiced until the age of 15 years, with a skin prick test by pre-immunization from the age of 3 months.

v  Hepatitis B: children born to HBsAg carrier, the first dose of vaccine should be administered within 24 hours, associated with immune globulin. The second and third doses should be at 1 and 6 months and serological testing must be done between 7 and 12 months.

2 months old

v  First injection against the following diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, polio, pertussis, haemophilus influenza b, hepatitis B, Pneumococcal (PN7).

3 months old

v  Second injection against the following diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, polio, pertussis, haemophilus influenza b,

v  For pneumococcal (PN7), an additional injection is provided solely for children with a condition putting them at high risk of infection (prematurity, sickle cell anemia, HIV infection, immune deficiencies, congenital heart disease).

4 months old

v  The third injection for the following diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, polio, pertussis, haemophilus influenza b

v  Second injection against hepatitis B or third injection for children exposed to a high risk of infection.

9 months old

v  First injection for measles, mumps, rubella, if infants are regularly with other infants. In this case, the second injection is recommended between 12 and 15 months.

12 months old

v  The injections will include:

o   The first dose against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine for all children, the second will be made at least 1 month after and if possible before the age of 24 months.

o   The third dose against the pneumococcal (PN7) and the fourth for children exposed to a high risk of infection.

Between 12 and 15 months old

v  The second injection is planned against measles, mumps and rubella vaccine for infants who received a first dose at 9 months.

Between 13 and 24 months old

v  The second dose against measles, mumps and rubella

   v  Between 16 and 18 months old

v  The injections will include:

o   Fourth injection against diphtheria, tetanus and polio,

o   Fourth injection against pertussis,

o   Fourth injection against Haemophilus influenza b,

o   Third injection against hepatitis B.

6 years old

v  Immunization against diphtheria, tetanus and polio should be done.

11 and 13 years old

v  Immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, polio and pertussis should be done.

v  The three injections against hepatitis B are provided if they have not been performed during childhood. The first 2 to 1 month apart, the third, 5 to 12 months after the second injection.

14 years old

v  Vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) may be given.

   v  15 to 23 years old

v  Catching up against human papillomavirus (HPV) is expected if the vaccine was not administered to 14 years, only for girls or young women who have not yet had sex or within the year following the start of their sex life.

Between 16 and 18 years old and then every 10 years

v  A booster against diphtheria, tetanus and polio is expected.

v  Vaccine against whooping cough is intended for adolescents who did not recall at the age of 11 to 13 years.

From 18 years old

v  Injection against diphtheria, tetanus and polio must be renewed every 10 years.

v  Unvaccinated women, of childbearing age can be vaccinated against rubella.

v  Dose against pertussis can be injected the adults who become parents and have not been vaccinated for 10 years.

Between 26 and 28 years

v  Dose against pertussis may be administered to adults who have not been vaccinated for 10 years during a decennial booster against diphtheria, tetanus and polio.

After 65 years

v  The vaccine against influenza is recommended every year.