MORE Bradford girls are unprotected against cervical cancer and other rare cancers as the HPV vaccine uptake falls significantly, post pandemic.

The vaccine protects against the human papilloma virus and reduces the chances of cervical cancer and other rare cancers.

Girls in England are offered free HPV jabs at school during years 8 and 9, when they are aged between 12 and 14.

Data from the UK Health Security Agency shows 45 per cent of year 9 girls in Bradford had both HPV jabs in the 2021-22 academic year.

It means 2,146 of the 3,900 girls in the cohort were not fully vaccinated.

The jab rate was down from 78.4 per cent the year previous and below pre-pandemic levels in 2018-19 when uptake was at 88.6 per cent.

Some girls were given the second shot in year 10 due to the impact of school closures the programme — 80 per cent of this cohort across Bradford had both jabs.

Across the country, about 67.3 per cent of year 9 girls were fully vaccinated last year – a drop from the level seen three years before, when 83.9 per cent had both shots.

Bradford District Care NHS Foundation has recognised the dip and is doing everything it can to get girls vaccinated. 

Saiqa Kauser, Clinical Manager for Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust’s School Immunisation team, said: “The dip in levels is reflected nationally, but we are doing everything we can to increase uptake and ensure that all eligible school-aged children across Bradford get the vaccine.

“The HPV jab is offered to every eligible child in years 8 and 9 across the district.

"The jab is available in every school and in community clinics during the week, and also in community clinics and other community settings on Saturdays.

"We have plans in place to increase uptake with continued health promotion in schools to raise awareness of the importance of the vaccine, and we are making it as quick and easy as possible for parents to give consent, with new electronic consent forms.”

Dr Louise Clarke, Director of Strategy Transformation, Primary and Community and Programme Director for Healthy Communities at Bradford district and Craven Health and Care Partnership.

“Vaccinations are the safest and most important way we can protect ourselves, by continuing to share this message on the importance of vaccinations we will help our communities to live healthier and happier lives.

"I would encourage those to take the HPV vaccine when eligible to give yourself the best protection against the HPV virus.”

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