The Laura Brennan HPV Catch-Up Programme is making its way to Waterford for people aged 16 and above.
A Clinic Room in the HSE Community Care Services Centre on the Cork Road will be in operation today from 9.30am to 4pm and on Sunday 29th of January from 10am to 3.45pm.
Eligible people can register on www.hpv.ie for an appointment for a free vaccine.
You can book an appointment if you are a female or a male aged 16 or older who started 1st year of secondary school, home-school or a special school between 2019 and 2021, and if you have not yet received the vaccine.
This programme is also available for those aged under 25 years who were previously eligible but have not received the HPV vaccine yet.
The 1st year of secondary school immunisation programme will continue as normal throughout 2023.
Relaying further detail, Dr. Kathleen O’ Sullivan, Principal Medical Officer, HSE/South East Community Healthcare, says:
“The most common cancer caused by the HPV virus is cervical cancer – cancer of the neck of the womb. However, the HPV virus can cause other cancers and conditions that can affect boys, and since September 2019, boys have also been offered the HPV vaccine. The more young people vaccinated – both boys and girls – the better the spread of the infection can be controlled and cancers prevented."
The initiative is supported by Bernie and Larry Brennan, parents of the late Laura Brennan who campaigned for higher uptake of the HPV vaccine before her death from cervical cancer in 2019, aged 26.
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee has recently advised that only one dose of HPV vaccine is required in those aged under 25.
Most people will only need one dose of HPV vaccine, however, anyone with a weak immune system will require three doses.
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