Prime Highlights:
Island Health nurses will visit high schools on Vancouver Island to offer the HPV vaccine to students in grades 11 and 12.
The initiative targets students who missed earlier vaccination opportunities.
HPV vaccination is nearly 100% effective when given at a young age, preventing common HPV types linked to serious health issues.
Key Background:
Island Health has announced that nurses will be visiting schools across Vancouver Island over the next few weeks to administer the HPV vaccine to high school students in grades 11 and 12. This initiative aims to increase protection against human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection that is linked to various cancers, including cervical, mouth, and throat cancers. The vaccine will be offered to students who have not yet received it, providing them with an opportunity to be vaccinated at school. Dr. Christina Kay, a Medical Health Officer with Island Health, emphasized the importance of early vaccination, stating that when administered at a young age, the HPV vaccine is nearly 100 percent effective in preventing infections from the most common HPV strains that can lead to serious health issues.
This school vaccination effort is part of a broader strategy to increase HPV immunization rates. Data from 2023 indicates that 55 percent of Grade 6 students across the region received the vaccine, with varying rates between regions: 47 percent in the North Island, 53.9 percent in Central Vancouver Island, and 65 percent in South Vancouver Island. Island Health is working to boost these numbers by offering the vaccine to older students who may have missed the opportunity earlier.
In preparation for the vaccination sessions, Island Health will be sending letters to students, parents, and caregivers to inform them of the upcoming school-based immunizations. Vaccinations are scheduled to take place throughout January and February. However, students who are unable to receive the vaccine at school will have the option to visit local pharmacies, public health units, or community care centers for immunization. The HPV vaccine is a key public health tool in the fight against HPV-related cancers, and this initiative reflects Island Health’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of the region’s youth.
