AMID the strong, widespread focus on COVID-19 vaccinations an important jab for Ballarat young people has dramatically dropped off.
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Parents are urged to catch up their children on receiving their scheduled vaccine to guard against human papillomavirus, better known as HPV, a jab typically delivered at schools.
The number of Victorian teenagers completing the two-dose HPV vaccination dropped 16.6 per cent in 2020, compared to a year earlier and pre-pandemic in 2019. This decline is far sharper than the Australian average fall of 11.6 per cent in the same time period, according to the nation's immunisation surveillance body.
City of Ballarat chief executive officer Evan King confirmed the city, which runs the HPV vaccination program in schools, was aware of a significant drop among Ballarat teenagers.
Mr King said this decline was primarily due to the impact of COVID-19, lockdowns and limited on-site learning the past two years.
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City of Ballarat also runs adolescent immunisation options for the HPV vaccine at Girrabanya Children's Centre, in central Ballarat, or Lucas Community Hub. The City was also running a catch-up vaccination program in schools to boost vaccination rates.
The HPV vaccine protects against nine different HPV strains that can cause about 90 per cent of cervical cancers in women and 95 per cent of all HPV-related cancers in men. The vaccine also protects against genital warts.
Cancer Council Victoria's screening, early detection and immunisation lead Kate Broun said the HPV vaccine had greatly improved since the program was introduced in 2007.
Ms Broun said the vaccine was longer-lasting and there had been a significant reduction in cervical abnormalities in younger women.
Importantly, Ms Broun said it was not too late for young people to catch up on HPV jabs they had missed.
Ms Broun said it was possible a young person might have received one, not two doses. If so, there was also no need to re-start the two-dose course, just a catch-up jab was needed.
We're calling on all parents to check their children's [HPV] immunisation records...While it's school holidays, it's a chance to get them vaccinated.
- Kate Broun, Cancer Council Victoria
"Considering the disruptions in Victoria, it's understandable this vaccine might've fallen off the radar," Ms Broun said.
"A lot of parents might have signed consent forms and perhaps did not realise their child might have missed the vaccine.
"We're calling on all parents to check their children's immunisation records ... While it's school holidays, it's a chance to get them vaccinated."
The HPV is a free vaccine delivered to secondary school students in two doses, typically in the same calendar year.
Ms Broun and Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley have reassured it was safe to deliver teenagers the HPV vaccine at the same time, or close to, a COVID-19 jab.
Parents and guardians can check their child's immunisation record via myGov or their Medicare account.
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