Grade 8 girls can still get shots

Grade 8 girls who did not receive the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine at school still have the opportunity to get the vaccine by booking an appointment with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.

"The HPV vaccine is a three-dose series and any doses received prior to the first day of Grade 9 are available free of cost," said Laurie Stanford, the manager for the vaccine preventable disease program at the health unit. "Parents who have questions about the vaccine or HPV should feel free to give one of our nurses a call at the health unit. This is the first year it has been offered, so there are sure to be parents who need more information before they can make a decision."

The vaccine protects against HPV types 16 and 18, which are responsible for an estimated 70 per cent of cervical cancers, as well as types 6 and 11, which cause 90 per cent of genital warts. In 2007, there were an estimated 1,350 new cases of cervical cancer in Canada.

The health unit began offering the vaccine to Grade 8 girls in September, after the province made the vaccine available for free to that age group. Information about the vaccine and consent forms were sent home with Grade 8 girls to help parents and their daughters make an informed decision.

The HPV vaccine is recommended for girls and women aged nine to 26 years old.

Females not included in the Grade 8 group can be vaccinated by their family physician or at the health unit at a cost of about $400. Some insurance plans may cover the cost.

Parents of Grade 8 girls who are not receiving the vaccine at school clinics can book an appointment for the HPV vaccine by calling Your Health Connection at 721- 7520 or 1-877-721-7520. Information about HPV and the vaccine is also available on the health unit website at www.simcoemuskokahealth. org.