School students encouraged to vaccinate

HPV has associated cervical cancer risk and is a common sexually transmitted infection.

Almost all sexually active people will be infected at some point in their lives, usually without symptoms with HPV affecting the skin, genital area and throat.

The vaccine works best if given before a person becomes sexually active and is offered to children aged between 12 and 13 years old.

Most people with HPV experience no symptoms and clear the virus without knowing they have it yet if not cleared naturally it is able to cause serious illness including cancer.

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

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

Throughout the state, immunisation rates for HPV remained high but had fallen in recent years.

In 2022, data for those aged 15 showed 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 program provides free recommended vaccines to students in Years 7 and 10.

Consent packs - containing a consent card and parent information letter - have been distributed in Term 1 to Year 7 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 7 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.

Minister for Health and Wellbeing Chrs Picton said the government was encouraging young South Australians to be protected from the virus through this year's school immunisation program.

"The HPV vaccine works best if it's given before exposure to HPV - that is, before a person becomes sexually active," Mr Picton said.

"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."

Acting chief public health officer Dr Chris Lease said the vaccine used in Australia was called Gardasil and was highly effective.

"It provides long-lasting protection against nine types of HPV, including those associated with HPV-related cancers," Mr Lease said.

"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 and the vaccine is available through your local GP or immunisation provider and is free for anyone between the ages of 12 and 25."