Young people encouraged to avail of HPV vaccine catch-up programme in Cork

THE Laura Brennan HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Vaccine Catch-Up Programme is offering appointments to eligible males and females who have not yet received the free HPV vaccine.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly recently announced the programme’s expansion to include all males up to their 22nd birthday and those eligible can now register to get the vaccine at www.hpv.ie until December 31.

Clinics in Cork city will run at St Finbarr’s Hospital Campus, on Douglas Road (T12 XH60), on Tuesday, September 12 (9am-4pm), and at St Mary’s Primary Care Centre, in Gurranabraher (T23 V09X), on Wednesday, September 20 (9.30am-4pm).

In West Cork, a clinic will run at the Dental Building at Skibbereen District Hospital (P81 HC43), tomorrow (9am-1pm).

There will also be a clinic at Mallow Primary Healthcare Centre (P51 Y8EC), on Monday, September 18 (2pm-4pm).

Community Registered General Nurse for School Vaccinations with the HSE South Lee team, Dallas Brennan, who has been involved in the HPV vaccine campaign since it began in 2010, said he wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to all eligible young people.

“If you missed out at school, please make an appointment now. It’s a single dose and a very safe vaccine,” he said.

Consultant in Public Health Medicine and National Immunisations Lead at the HSE National Immunisation Office, Dr Lucy Jessop, said: “The HPV vaccine has been offered to girls in first year in secondary school since 2010. This is because the most common cancer caused by the HPV virus is cervical cancer. However, the HPV virus can cause other cancers and conditions that can affect boys and men, and since September 2019, boys have also been offered the vaccine.”