Children will only get one HPV jab under shake-up of school vaccination drive

• Health bosses said the evidence proves one jab is just as effective as two 
• READ MORE: HPV vaccine is making cervical cancer a ‘thing of the past’

Kids will only be offered one dose of the HPV vaccine from September, officials announced today.

Health bosses said the evidence proves one jab is just as effective as two.

The vaccination drive — open to all girls and boys aged 12 to 13 — is credited with helping to virtually eradicate cervical cancer.

Human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common group of viruses, are behind 90 per cent of cases of the disease.

Men can also get cancer from HPV, which is usually spread through sex. 

The vaccination drive — open to all girls and boys aged 12 to 13 — is credited with helping to virtually eradicate cervical cancer. Human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common group of viruses, are behind 90 per cent of cases of the disease 

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the change in England follows advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and World Health Organization.

Currently, kids get their second dose up to two years after their first.  

Latest figures show that, in 2021-2022, some 82.2 per cent of girls had had one dose by the time they were in Year 9. 

Uptake is believed to have been affected by the Covid pandemic.

The HPV vaccine helps prevent a range of cancers, such as cervical cancer, cancers of the head and neck (mouth and throat), and cancers of the anus and genital areas.

Under the new plan, youngsters will be offered a single dose, while eligible gay, bisexual and other men under the age of 25 who have sex with men will also move to a single dose.

Older people in these groups, aged 25 to 45, will stay on a two-dose schedule.

People who are immunosuppressed or HIV-positive will still have three doses to ensure protection.

Anyone in the catch-up jab programme who has received one dose of the vaccine by September will be considered fully vaccinated.

The HPV vaccine has been routinely offered in schools to girls aged 12 to 13 since 2008 and to boys the same age since September 2019.

Other countries, including Australia and Scotland, have already made the move to one dose, the UKHSA said.

Wales has announced it is moving to a one-dose schedule in September.

Dr Vanessa Saliba, immunisation consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said: ‘The HPV vaccination programme is one of the most successful in the world and has dramatically lowered the rates of cervical cancer and harmful infections in both women and men – preventing many cancers and saving lives.

‘The latest evidence shows that one dose provides protection as robust as two doses. This is excellent news for young people.

‘If you missed your HPV vaccine it is vital you get protected. Contact your school nurse, school immunisation team or GP practice to arrange an appointment – you remain eligible to receive the vaccine until your 25th birthday.’

Steve Russell, NHS national director for screening and vaccinations, said: ‘This is another step forward for our world-leading HPV vaccination programme, which saves lives by significantly reducing the risk of cervical cancer.

‘With one quick HPV jab now making it simpler than ever to reduce your risk of cancers caused by the virus, it’s so important that people come forward when invited.

‘Along with getting your HPV vaccine, it is also still vital to book in for your cervical screening appointment which checks for high-risk HPV and remains one of the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer.’

A study published in The Lancet medical journal in 2021 found that cervical cancer rates were 87 per cent lower in young women who were eligible for HPV vaccination when they were aged 12 to 13, compared with young women who had not been offered the vaccine.

Overall, the study estimated that the HPV programme had prevented about 450 cancers and 17,200 pre-cancers up to mid-2019.

WHAT IS HPV? THE INFECTION LINKED TO 99% OF CERVICAL CANCER CASES

Up to eight out of 10 people will be infected with HPV in their lives

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the name for a group of viruses that affect your skin and the moist membranes lining your body. 

Spread through vaginal, anal and oral sex and skin-to-skin contact between genitals, it is extremely common. 

Up to eight out of 10 people will be infected with the virus at some point in their lives.

There are more than 100 types of HPV. Around 30 of which can affect the genital area. Genital HPV infections are common and highly contagious.

Many people never show symptoms, as they can arise years after infection, and the majority of cases go away without treatment.

It can lead to genital warts, and is also known to cause cervical cancer by creating an abnormal tissue growth.

Annually, an average of 38,000 cases of HPV-related cancers are diagnosed in the US, 3,100 cases of cervical cancer in the UK and around 2,000 other cancers in men.

What others cancers does it cause? 

• Throat
• Neck
• Tongue
• Tonsils
• Vulva
• Vagina
• Penis
• Anus

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