Parents urged to get kids vaccinated against HPV

(CNS): The Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Public Health Department have begun an HPV vaccination drive this month to protect against human papillomavirus (HPV), a group of over 200 viruses, some of which can spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact. Some parents are reluctant to get young children vaccinated because of the virus’s association with sexual transmission, but health officials say vaccinating children against this virus is no different to protecting them from any other they may encounter as they get older.

There are two categories of sexually transmitted HPV: low-risk, which can cause warts, and high-risk, which can cause cancer such as cervical, oral and throat cancers.

“Our community is, unfortunately, well acquainted with the devastating effects which cancer can have, not only for the individual but entire families,” said Chief Nursing Officer Felicia McLean, who noted that 25% of all deaths in Cayman in 2022 were attributed to cancer. “While there are many causes of cancer, we must do what we can to prevent those that are, in fact, preventable, and that’s why this vaccination drive is so important,” she said.

The Gardasil 9 vaccine has been available in the Cayman Islands for many years, but the latest
guidance from the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) aims to make
the vaccine more accessible while expanding its protective benefits to a wider age group. It is proven to protect against nine high-risk strains of HPV and is now available to people aged nine to 45.

“I know that there are some parents who do not think that this vaccine is necessary because
their children are young,” McLean said as she urged them to rethink their decision. “As parents, we start vaccinating our children from birth because we recognise the need to protect them from life-threatening illnesses. HPV is no different in that regard in that the threat is still posed by viruses.”

By making sure that children are vaccinated, parents are protecting them against the threat of certain cancers in the future. To encourage parents and guardians to get kids vaccinated, McLean and School Health Coordinator Nurse Carvell Bailey have been reaching out to schools and PTAs to schedule presentations to empower parents with accurate information about HPV, the Gardasil 9 vaccine, and the vaccination programme.

“Parents who wish to have their children vaccinated and whose school has signed up for the
programme can request that the vaccine is administered at school by a public health nurse,”
McLean said. “Only those children for whom a request has been made and a consent
order has been filled out will be given the vaccine.”

She added, I encourage all parents to learn more and to engage us as we make our way across our Islands’ schools. We must do everything that we can to protect not only our children but safeguard our community as a whole from these cancers.”

The Public Health Department will also be enhancing access to out-of-school youth and those aged 25-45 who are interested in this added protection. The new recommendations are one dose for 9 to 24 year olds and two for those over 25, with the second dose administered any time between six months and two years after the first. Immunosuppressed individuals are advised to take the three-dose regimen over a 12-month period for maximum immune response.

The HPV vaccine is available for both men and women at the District Health Centres, the Public
Health Department Clinic, and the Women’s Health Clinic. Eligible individuals are encouraged to
contact their healthcare provider to schedule their vaccination in line with the latest JCVI
recommendations. For more information or to book an appointment, visit www.hsa.ky or contact:

• Public Health Department: (244-2648)
• Women’s Health: (244-2649)
• Faith Hospital: (948-2243)
• Little Cayman Clinic: (948-0072)
• West Bay Health Centre Tuesdays 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM (949-3439)
• Bodden Town Health Centre beginning Tuesday, 15 October, from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM
  (947-2299)