ALL 12- and 13-year-old girls at schools in the county are to be offered a new vaccination to protect them against cervical cancer. The HPV or human papilloma virus vaccine is being made available to all Year Eight girls from this month. The vaccine pro

ALL 12- and 13-year-old girls at schools in the county are to be offered a new vaccination to protect them against cervical cancer.

The HPV or human papilloma virus vaccine is being made available to all Year Eight girls from this month.

The vaccine protects against the two types of HPV which cause more than 70 per cent of cervical cancers.

Dr Hilary Angwin, public health consultant for women and children's services at the Herts Primary Care Trusts (PCT), said: "New cases of cervical cancer have been falling for years thanks to the national cervical cancer screening programme.

"The HPV vaccination should ensure the number of women who get cervical cancer in Herts will fall significantly in the years to come. There are more than 100 types of HPV but only 13 of these cause cancer. The vaccination protects against types 16 and 18 which are responsible for 70 per cent of cases."

She added: "However, because it doesn't protect against all HPV viruses it will be essential that girls, like their mothers, take part in the NHS cervical cancer screening programme once they are old enough.

"The HPV vaccination programme is another important step forward that will benefit the health of women in Herts for years to come."

Girls who are currently aged 17 or 18 will also be offered vaccination. From next August there will be a catch-up vaccination programme for girls aged 15 to 18 so that by summer 2011 all girls in Herts currently up to the age of 18 will be protected.

Further information is available at www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Vaccines/HPV or by calling the national HPV helpline on 0845 602 3303.