How does the level of HPV vaccine uptake during the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 academic years compare with the previous five years?
School-based Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination sessions for teenagers have not yet started for the 2020-21 academic year as a consequence of school closures due to Covid-19. In 2019-20, uptake of the first dose of HPV vaccine at age 14 years was 87.3% and for the second dose at age 15 years it was 83.5%. In the three years from 2016-17 to 2018-19, uptake ranged between 86.6% and 86.7% for the first dose at 14 years and 81.8% and 85.8% for the second dose at 15 years. Prior to this, HPV vaccination was offered on a different timing schedule.
In July 2020, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) published advice on delivering the HPV vaccination programme during the pandemic. The JCVI has advised that the priority is for all eligible children to receive at least the first dose of the HPV vaccine. This includes prioritising the catch-up of those who have not had a first dose due to school closures. The JCVI referred to strong evidence that indicates that one dose of HPV vaccine will provide protection in the short to medium term and that the interval between the first and second dose can be extended by a number of years without compromising protection or the boosting effect of the second dose. The JCVI recommended delivery or catch-up of the second dose should be considered at the appropriate time, for example alongside the teenage booster vaccinations, when circumstances support this according to local planning of immunisation services. The JCVI's full statement can be found at: JCVI statement on HPV vaccination during the pandemic
Health boards will be implementing the JCVI's advice to prioritise the first dose of HPV vaccine. All eligible children will be offered the opportunity to catch up on missed HPV vaccinations, as well as other school-based vaccination programmes, as soon as sessions can be arranged safely as part of the NHS Wales recovery plans.
Currently the HPV, Meningococcal (Men) ACWY and the Td/IPV teenage booster vaccination programmes are all offered in secondary schools with the exception of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board where MenACWY and the Td/IPV teenage booster vaccines are given in general practice. The Welsh Government has no plans to extend the involvement of GP surgeries in these programmes as higher uptake in teenagers is generally achieved where vaccinations are offered in schools. General practices will continue to offer routine childhood vaccinations in younger age groups and will, of course, be at the forefront of the roll out of Covid-19 vaccination.