Protecting NHS Forth Valley’s young people from vaccine preventable diseases
Parents of school pupils in NHS Forth Valley are being asked to look out for vaccine consent forms being sent home from school.
The vaccines being offered will offer children protection from a range of serious and, in some cases, life-threatening vaccine preventable diseases. NHS Forth Valley is encouraging parents to discuss the vaccines with their children, before signing and returning the forms to their school.
In Scotland, young people are offered vaccines at school clinics to protect against a number of diseases.S1 pupils are offered vaccination against Human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common virus that can cause a range of cancers including, cervical cancer, head and neck cancers, and anogenital cancers (for example, cancers of the anus, penis, vagina and vulva).
Getting the HPV vaccine in S1 will help to protect young people from future risks of these serious cancers, as well as genital warts. The vaccine has been on offer since 2008 and a study from Public Health Scotland published earlier this year shows that no young people who have been vaccinated against HPV have developed cervical cancer.
S3 pupils are offered the DTP vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and polio. They are also offered the MenACWY vaccine to help protect them from meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning) caused by meningococcal bacteria A, C, W and Y.
Fiona Coan, NHS Forth Valley’s Immunisation Manager, said: “Ensuring your child is vaccinated is the best thing you can do to help protect them against a range of serious and, in some cases, life-threatening diseases. Parents should look out for the consent forms coming home in school bags and then chat to their child about the free vaccines offered, before signing and returning consent forms to school by the deadline.”
The national Chat. Sign. Protect. campaign includes useful information such as videos answering some of the most common questions about secondary school vaccinations, information in other formats and languages, and advice for young people who are not in mainstream school.
