A massive vaccination campaign against meningitis B has been launched in Rennes by the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Brittany since Monday, March 3, 2025. Nearly 100,000 people aged 15 to 24 are expected to be affected. But how can you get vaccinated? Is it mandatory? All the answers to the questions you have.
A vaccination campaign against meningococcal B for 100,000 young people aged 15 to 24 is unprecedented. «We have never had to organize such a large-scale meningococcal B vaccination campaign in Brittany. Other regions have already carried out this type of campaign, but on a smaller scale, with around 50,000 young people in Lyon in 2023 and Strasbourg in 2022,» stated Elisabeth Lagadec-Fethaddine, communication manager of the ARS Bretagne, on Saturday, March 1.
This large-scale campaign will be spread over several weeks. The geographical area concerned is that of Rennes Métropole (half a million inhabitants) and its 43 municipalities.
The origin of this vast campaign is a resurgence of cases this winter in France, especially in the Rennes metropolitan area with 6 cases identified out of the 11 recorded in Ille-et-Vilaine in 2025 (17 at the regional level). By comparison, there were 24 cases in Brittany in 2024.
READ: Resurgence of meningitis cases in Rennes: a campaign of «large scale» vaccination launched for 100,000 young people
The investigation conducted by the ARS Bretagne and Public Health France «did not allow to find an epidemiological link between the different cases, likely involving the circulation and establishment of a strain in the Rennes metropolitan area». Therefore, to «protect the most exposed population from severe forms», the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Brittany launched this large-scale operation targeting young people aged 15 to 24, whether residents, students, or workers.
The fast-acting infection that attacks the spinal cord and brain has already claimed a life in the city: an 18-year-old woman died. She was one of the three other cases unrelated to students, but carrying the same strain of bacteria.
The first vaccination center of this campaign opened on Monday at Rennes School of Business. The reason: it is one of the two epicenters of contamination with three cases reported last December. The 5,000 students of the institution are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated. Even if some refuse to get jabbed, the majority of students intend to do so because «it can prevent complications» as Achille explains.
READ ALSO: «I am a contact case», facing the shadow of meningitis, Rennes School of Business launches vaccination
In Rennes, two other centers will be set up from Thursday, March 6: one in Villejean for Rennes 2 University and one in Beaulieu for the Rennes 1 campus.
At these vaccination centers, the care will be 100% covered. You just need to present an ID and a health record if you have one. It should be noted that if you are a minor, you need to be accompanied by a parent. A second injection will be necessary four weeks after the first one.
If you are in the target population aged 15 to 24, you can also get vaccinated directly from healthcare professionals: doctors, midwives, nurses, and pharmacists starting from Thursday, March 6.
If you choose this vaccination option, know that you should bring your social security card, health insurance card, and health record if you have one.
For those who do not have health insurance or social coverage, «it is advisable to go to a vaccination center to benefit from free vaccination funded by the ARS Bretagne».
The ARS wants to remind that all healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities in Rennes Métropole have been informed about the massive campaign. Likewise, it assures that the necessary steps have been taken with the laboratory to ensure the supply of vaccines to pharmacies.
Meningococci are bacteria, not viruses, that live in the back of the nose and throat. They are transmitted through saliva droplets, which limits their transmission compared to aerosols (microdroplets suspended in the air). These bacteria can be eliminated by antibiotics. In France, there are meningococci of groups B, C, W, and Y. In the case of Rennes Métropole, it is the group B.
- How does meningitis manifest?
This disease is most commonly characterized by fever, severe headaches, often accompanied by vomiting, sensitivity to light, and stiffness in the neck. There may also be altered consciousness. Les infections invasives à méningocoques peuvent prendre différentes formes, notamment des taches rouges ou violacées qui apparaissent rapidement et peuvent grossir rapidement, accompagnées d’une fièvre élevée. Le Dr. Damien Mascret explique que ces infections peuvent être graves, laissant parfois des séquelles importantes telles que des amputations. Il est important de prendre des mesures si vous pensez avoir été en contact avec une personne malade, en consultant votre médecin traitant. La vaccination contre le méningocoque B n’est pas obligatoire, mais fortement recommandée, surtout pour les jeunes de 15 à 24 ans. Deux vaccins, Bexsero et Trumenba, sont disponibles pour la prévention. Pour plus d’informations sur la maladie et la vaccination, un numéro vert gratuit est mis à disposition par l’ARS. L’Agence régionale de santé (ARS) de Bretagne a lancé une opération de grande envergure pour protéger la population la plus exposée, notamment les jeunes de 15 à 24 ans, contre une infection foudroyante touchant la moelle épinière et le cerveau. Cette campagne de vaccination vise à éviter des formes graves de la maladie, suite au décès d’une jeune femme de 18 ans à Rennes. Les centres de vaccination ont été ouverts dans plusieurs établissements, dont l’école de commerce Rennes School of Business, en raison de foyers de contaminations identifiés. La vaccination est fortement recommandée pour prévenir les complications liées à cette infection.
Il est possible de se faire vacciner directement auprès des professionnels de santé, avec une prise en charge à 100 %. Les personnes ciblées doivent se munir de leur carte vitale, de leur carte de mutuelle et de leur carnet de santé. Pour ceux sans mutuelle, la vaccination est gratuite grâce au financement de l’ARS Bretagne. Il est également important de souligner que la vaccination n’est pas obligatoire, mais fortement recommandée pour la santé des étudiants, en particulier ceux âgés de 15 à 24 ans, qui sont plus susceptibles de propager la maladie en raison de leurs interactions sociales.
Concernant la maladie, la méningite se manifeste généralement par de la fièvre, des maux de tête intenses, des vomissements, une sensibilité à la lumière et une raideur de la nuque. Les infections invasives à méningocoques B peuvent avoir des conséquences graves, même en cas de survie, pouvant entraîner des séquelles importantes. Il est donc essentiel de prendre des mesures préventives, notamment en cas de contact étroit avec une personne malade.
Pour toute question sur la maladie ou la vaccination, un numéro vert gratuit a été mis en place par l’ARS. La vaccination contre le méningocoque B est désormais obligatoire chez les nourrissons, et deux vaccins sont disponibles pour cette souche, dont le vaccin Bexsero utilisé dans le cadre de la campagne de vaccination à Rennes. Une vigilance particulière est recommandée pour prévenir la propagation de cette maladie infectieuse et potentiellement mortelle. Since Monday, March 3, 2025, a massive vaccination campaign against meningitis B has been launched in Rennes by the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Brittany. Nearly 100,000 people aged 15 to 24 are expected to be targeted. But how can you get vaccinated? Is it mandatory? All the answers to the questions you may have.
Such a vaccination campaign against meningococcal B targeting 100,000 young people aged 15 to 24 is unprecedented. «We have never had to organize this type of meningococcal B vaccination campaign of this magnitude in Brittany. Other regions have already carried out this type of campaign, but on a smaller scale, around 50,000 young people in Lyon in 2023 and Strasbourg in 2022,» said Elisabeth Lagadec-Fethaddine, communication manager of the ARS Brittany, on Saturday, March 1.
This large-scale campaign will last for several weeks. The geographical area concerned is that of Rennes metropolis (half a million inhabitants) and its 43 municipalities.
The origin of this vast campaign is a resurgence of cases this winter in France and especially in the territory of the Rennes metropolis with 6 cases identified out of the 11 recorded in 2025 in Ille-et-Vilaine (17 at the regional level). By comparison, there were 24 cases in 2024 in Brittany.
The investigation conducted by the ARS Brittany and Public Health France did not find an epidemiological link between the different cases, likely involving the circulation and establishment of a strain in the Rennes metropolis. It is therefore to «protect the most exposed population from severe forms» that the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Brittany launched this large-scale operation targeting young people aged 15 to 24, whether residents, students, or workers.
The deadly infection that attacks the spinal cord and brain has already claimed a victim in the city: an 18-year-old woman has died. She was one of the three other cases unrelated to students but carriers of the same bacterium strain.
The first vaccination center of this campaign opened on Monday at the Rennes School of Business. The reason: it is one of the two epicenters of contamination with three cases identified last December. The 5,000 students of the establishment are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated. Even though some refuse to get the shot, the majority of students intend to do so because «it can prevent complications» as explained by Achille.
In Rennes, two other centers will be set up starting Thursday, March 6: one in Villejean for Rennes 2 University and one in Beaulieu for the Rennes 1 campus.
At these vaccination centers, the care will be 100% covered. You just need to present an ID and a health record if you have one. Note that if you are a minor, you must be accompanied by a parent. A second injection will be required four weeks after the first.
If you are in the target population of 15 to 24 years old, you can also get vaccinated directly from healthcare professionals: doctors, midwives, nurses, and pharmacists starting Thursday, March 6.
If you choose this vaccination option, you should bring your social security card, your mutual insurance card, and your health record if you have one.
For those who do not have insurance or social coverage, «it is advisable to go to a vaccination center to benefit from free vaccination funded by the ARS Brittany.»
The ARS emphasizes that all healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities in Rennes metropolis have been informed of the massive campaign. Likewise, it assures the availability of vaccine supplies: «the necessary steps have been taken with the laboratory to ensure the supply to pharmacies.»
Meningococci are bacteria, not viruses, that live in the nose and throat. They are transmitted through saliva droplets, which limits their transmission compared to aerosols (microdroplets suspended in the air). These bacteria can be eliminated with antibiotics. En France, les méningites peuvent être causées par des méningocoques des groupes B, C, W et Y. À Rennes Métropole, l’actuel cas concerne le groupe B.
– Comment se manifeste la méningite ?
La maladie se caractérise le plus souvent par de la fièvre, des maux de tête intenses, accompagnés de vomissements, de sensibilité à la lumière et de raideur de la nuque. Des troubles de conscience peuvent également survenir. Les infections invasives à méningocoques peuvent se présenter sous d’autres formes, notamment par l’apparition rapide de taches rouges ou violacées, accompagnées d’une fièvre élevée.
– Quelles sont les conséquences graves d’une infection invasive à méningocoque B ?
Les méningites à méningocoque B sont graves car, même en cas de survie, elles peuvent laisser des séquelles importantes. L’infection se propage dans le sang avant d’atteindre le cerveau, entraînant parfois la nécessité d’amputer des membres.
– Si je pense être une personne contact, que faire ?
En cas de contact étroit avec une personne malade, il est important de consulter rapidement son médecin traitant pour déterminer la conduite à tenir. Pour les personnes considérées comme «contact à risque», un traitement antibiotique préventif est recommandé pour éviter la propagation de la maladie.
– La vaccination est-elle obligatoire ?
La vaccination contre le méningocoque B n’est pas obligatoire mais fortement recommandée, notamment pour les jeunes de 15 à 24 ans, qui sont plus exposés au risque de propagation de la maladie. Depuis janvier 2025, la vaccination est obligatoire chez les nourrissons.
– Quel est le vaccin contre la méningite ?
Deux vaccins, Bexsero et Trumenba, sont disponibles pour lutter contre le méningocoque B. Dans le cadre de la campagne de vaccination à Rennes, le vaccin Bexsero® est utilisé. Il nécessite deux injections à quatre semaines d’intervalle.
En cas de questions sur la maladie ou la vaccination, un numéro vert gratuit est mis à disposition par l’ARS : 0800 35 00 17.
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