With school returning this week, young South Australians and their parents and carers are being encouraged to play their part in eliminating human papillomavirus (HPV) and its associated cervical cancer risk, as the State Government’s annual school immunisation program (SIP) gets underway.

The State Government and Cancer Council SA have teamed up to raise awareness of the importance of the free HPV vaccine and to encourage parents and caregivers to give permission for their children to be vaccinated.

In South Australia, immunisation rates for HPV are still high, but have fallen in recent years. The 2022 data for those aged 15, shows 71.5 per cent of males and 75.8 per cent of females were vaccinated. Between 2020 and 2022, there was a five per cent drop in vaccine coverage for males and a 3.2 per cent drop for females.

The SIP provides free recommended vaccines to students in Years Seven and 10, offering long-lasting protection against HPV and other harmful diseases.

Consent packs – containing a consent card and parent information letter - have been distributed in Term 1 to Year Seven and 10 students, and a social media and radio advertising campaign targeted at parents and carers has also run earlier this year.

In South Australia, Year Seven students are offered one dose of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) (dTpa), and one dose of the HPV vaccine. Year 10 students are offered a single dose of the meningococcal ACWY vaccine and two doses of the meningococcal B vaccine.

HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection that can affect anyone, with eight out of 10 sexually active people having HPV at some point in their life.

The HPV vaccine works best if it’s given before a person becomes sexually active, which is why it is offered to children aged 12 to 13.

Most people with HPV experience no symptoms and clear the virus without ever knowing they have it but, if it doesn’t clear naturally, it can cause serious illness, including cancer.

HPV causes almost all cervical cancers, 90 per cent of anal cancers, 78 per cent of vaginal cancers, 25 per cent of vulvar cancers, 50 per cent of penile cancers and 60 per cent of oropharyngeal cancers which are cancers of the throat, tongue and tonsils.

Cancer Council research shows the HPV vaccination, coupled with the new Cervical Screening Test, has the potential to put Australia on track to be one of the first countries in the world to eliminate Cervical Cancer as a public health issue by 2035.

Quotes

Attributable to Chris Picton

We’re encouraging young South Australians to get protected though this year’s school immunisation program to help prevent these life-changing cancers.

The HPV vaccine works best if it’s given before exposure to HPV – that is, before a person becomes sexually active. That’s why it is offered for free to children aged 12-13 years through the SIP as part of the National Immunisation Program.

Fully trained and qualified vaccination teams visit all high schools in South Australia to deliver the program.

Don’t miss your shot, you only need one dose to be protected.

Attributable to Blair Boyer

The annual school immunisation program is a really important way in which health and education work together to support young people in our community.

The difficult thing with HPV is that people often experience no symptoms and if it doesn’t clear naturally, it can cause serious illness.

I’d really encourage parents and caregivers to discuss HPV with their young people and encourage them to be immunised.

Attributable to Acting Chief Public Health Officer, Dr Chris Lease

The HPV vaccine used in Australia is called Gardasil. It is highly effective and provides long-lasting protection against nine types of HPV, including those associated with HPV-related cancers.

The HPV vaccine is given in one dose and is recommended for all people living in Australia aged nine to 25.

While the HPV vaccine works best if given before a person becomes sexually active, it’s never too late to get protected. The vaccine is available through your local GP or immunisation provider and is free for anyone between the ages of 12 and 25.

I’ve made sure my children are protected – have you done the same?

Attributable to Cancer Council SA Prevention and Advocacy Manager, Christine Morris

We know that vaccination against HPV is a critical tool in preventing cervical cancer later in life.

While rates are declining across South Australia, we hope that once parents and caregivers are aware of how simply this type of cancer can be eliminated, they will ensure their children’s vaccinations are up to date.