HPV vaccine: full list of secondary school 'catch-up' sessions

Secondary school children who missed out on receiving a vaccine that offers vital protection against several types of cancer can access catch-up sessions in the coming weeks.

The Cardiff and Vale School Nursing Immunisation Team will be returning to schools between April and July to administer the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine which is offered for free to all children aged 12 and 13 in Year 8.

The vaccine has proved highly effective at reducing the risk of getting HPV, a group of more than 100 viruses that are usually passed on through skin-to-skin contact.  

Most people who become infected with HPV will clear the virus from their body and won’t become unwell, but for others it can cause genital warts or even develop into some types of cancer including cervical cancer in women and head and neck cancers that are most common in men.  

HPV usually has no symptoms, which is why it is so easy to pass on. More than 70% of people who haven’t had the HPV vaccine will get HPV at some point in their life.  

But to date the vaccine has proved very effective. Since it was introduced in 2008, it has reduced cervical cancer rates by almost 90% in women in their 20s.  

This spring, Cardiff and Vale UHB’s School Nursing Immunisation Team visited schools across the region to administer the HPV vaccine to Year 8s, along with those in Year 9, 10 and 11 who missed out in Year 8.

However, the team will be returning between 29 April and July 11 to vaccinate those who were missed in their first visit.

If your child did not receive their HPV vaccine the first time round, please look out for further information from the school along with a link to the consent form. 

The full list of HPV vaccination dates is as follows:

29 April: Cardiff West Community High School

7 May: Cathays High School

14 May: Mary Immaculate High School

16 May: Ysgol Bro Morgannwg

20 May: St Illtyd’s Catholic High School

24 May: Willows High School

3 June: Ysgol Plasmawr

4 June: Cowbridge Comprehensive School

5 June: Ysgol Bro Edern

6 June: Ysgol Glantaf

10 June: Bishop of Llandaff Church in Wales High School

12 June: Corpus Christi Catholic High School

12 June: St Teilo’s Church in Wales High School

18 June: Cantonian High School

20 June: Whitchurch High School

25 June: Cardiff High School

3 July: St Cyres School

11 July: Eastern High School

Further HPV school catch-up session dates will be confirmed at a later date.

In March, Cardiff City FC Community Foundation teamed up with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board to promote the importance of the HPV vaccine. You can read more about that here.