Cervical cancer jabs down by half

by Hannah Atterbury

Half of parents in east Kent schools are failing to return consent forms allowing their daughters to have a vaccination against cervical cancer, NHS figures have revealed. 

Annaliese Woods is a Senior Lecturer of Nursing and Clinical Studies at Canterbury Christ Church University. She has been a practising nurse for 22 years and says parents and schools should be working together to ensure the future health their daughters.

Last year, 73% of girls eligible for the HPV jab received the full three doses of the vaccine, while this year that percentage has plummeted to around 50%.

Eastern and coastal Kent NHS are concerned at the decline in figures. Cervical cancer kills around 1000 women in the UK each year and this vaccination can reduce the number of instances of cervical cancer by protecting against the HPV virus-a cause of cervical cancer.

Annaliese Woods believes that many parents might be concerned that the jab might have side affects and risks associated with the vaccine but wants to reassures parents: “The vaccine has been through rigorous trials and there are minor side affects but at the end of the day it’s about looking to the long term future protection of your health.”