HPV VACCINATION PROGRAMME IN SCHOOLS
 
TheHPV vaccine protects against the two strains of HPV (16 and 18) that cause cervical cancer in over 70% of women.
This is now available free of charge to all girls aged between 12 and 18 years.
NHS Oxfordshire is running a programme to vaccinate girls in all schools across the county. More than 3,500 Oxfordshire girls in Year 8 are now routinely offered HPV vaccination. Last year more than 90% of them were vaccinated with all three doses over 6 months. A catch-up programme to reach all girls aged between 14 and 18 by 2010 has already begun in every school and college across Oxfordshire.
The school health nurses are organising vaccination sessions in every school in Oxfordshire and will be administering the vaccine to students at the appropriate times. It will be given in three doses over a period of six months.
So, if you are in the 12-18 age group and have missed out for any reason PLEASE CALL SHADE confidential between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday on 07760 990 582 or 07760 990 584 to be put in touch confidentially with your School Health Nurse about the HPV vaccine or any other matter.
Anna Hinton, Principal in Health Protection at NHS Oxfordshire, said: "Girls are being offered the HPV vaccine this academic year and it's free. We strongly advise all girls to take advantage of this excellent opportunity to protect themselves."
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are there any side effects of the vaccine?
- How long does protection last?
- How effective is the HPV vaccine?
- Will the vaccine stop any medicines I'm taking from working?
- What about girls who have allergies, or other illnesses, can they still have the HPV vaccination?
- If I am pregnant can I still have the HPV vaccination?
- Which vaccine will be used?
For answers to these questions and information about the HPV vaccine in general visit: http://www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Vaccines/HPV
Around 800 women die every year from cervical cancer. Do arm yourself against cancer!
Posted 12 December 2009
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