No cancer jab ban in schools

OLDHAM’S Catholic high schools are not following the lead of a Bury secondary which has banned girls from receiving the new cervical cancer vaccine on its premises.

As the Evening Chronicle reported yesterday, the immunisation programme is well under way in Oldham schools.

But governors at St Monica’s RC High School, Prestwich, imposed a ban on the jab because it believes the school is “not the right place” to administer the injections.

Staff are concerned at possible side-effects including dizziness, nausea and headaches.

A letter to parents outlining the concerns makes no mention of moral objections, but a school governor has previously criticised the injections for encouraging promiscuity.

The three injections given over six months give immunity to key strains of the sexually-transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV), responsible for 70 per cent of cervical cancers.

Experts believe vaccinating against HPV could save hundreds of lives in the UK each year and the Roman Catholic church has approved the programme.

In Oldham, 12 and 13-year-old’s at Blue Coat and Royton and Crompton schools were the first to take part.

The chairman of governors of the borough’s two Catholic high schools confirmed the vaccination was going ahead.

Cannon Eugene Dolan, from St Augustine’s, Werneth, said: “I have certainly got no objection to it. I just hope it does not become an issue in a lot of places.”

Mike Aston, from Our Lady’s, added: “We are going ahead. There are no objections.”

A spokesman for Oldham Primary Care Trust said there had been no issues in Oldham about the vaccination.