Students are first offered the vaccine in year 8 and new data from the UK Health Security Agency shows that uptake during the 2023/24 academic year reached 72.9% for girls – up 1.6% year-on-year – and 67.7% for boys – up 2.5%. Uptake in years 9 and 10 was at similar levels for both girls and boys.
However, with vaccination still lagging behind pre-Covid levels of around 90%, the UK Health Security Agency is urging young people to take-up the vaccine in schools when it is offered.
The vaccination targets the human papillomavirus and evidence shows that it helps protect both boys and girls from HPV-related cancers.
The government says it has “dramatically lowered” HPV infections in England and rates of cervical cancer in vaccine-eligible women – with the strongest effects seen in those offered vaccination at younger ages.
The HPV vaccine has been offered to all girls in school year 8 since September 2008 and to all year 8 boys since September 2019.
HPV vaccination also protects men and women against genital warts and other cancers of the genital areas and anus, as well as some mouth and throat cancers.
Dr Sharif Ismail, consultant epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “The HPV vaccine is one of the most successful in the world, now given as just a single dose helping to prevent HPV-related cancers from developing in boys and girls.
“It’s great to see HPV uptake rates increasing for when children are first offered the vaccine in year 8, but we need to ensure that more young people who do not take up the original offer for any reason are caught up. Good progress was made to catch up older children immediately after the pandemic and we need to ensure these efforts are sustained. Our overall uptake rates are still behind on pre-pandemic years.
“We urge young people to take up this potentially life-saving vaccine when offered. Look out for the invitation from your school and if you missed your HPV vaccine, you can contact your GP practice to arrange an appointment – you remain eligible to receive the vaccine until your 25th birthday.”
Steve Russell, chief delivery officer and national director for vaccinations and screening at NHS England, added: “The HPV vaccine provides protection against a range of cancers in just a single dose, and supporting more young people to get vaccinated is vital to our ambition to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040.
“It’s encouraging that today’s figures show a rise in vaccination coverage across year 8 children, but almost a third are still yet to receive this vital protection.
“The NHS HPV vaccine programme is offered to school-aged children in years 8 to 11, with a catch-up offer available at GPs for those eligible, and it is essential that more young people get protected to help prevent more cancers and save lives.”