The GGD in Groningen will start this week with the first vaccinations against the HPV virus in young people. The vaccination, for which a ‘catch-up campaign’ has been set up this year, is free this year for all young people from the target group: hungry people aged 19 to 26 years.
The campaign focuses mainly on boys and men, because they have not been invited before. Girls and women who previously decided not to have a vaccination will also be given the opportunity to get the HPV vaccination.
With the campaign, the GGD and the Health Council want to catch up in the vaccination against the virus, because there is still a lot of health gain to be made. In many cases, the Human Papilomavirus (HPV) causes few problems. But the virus is very contagious and an infection can in some cases lead to cancer, including cervical cancer, penile and prostate cancer
anal cancer. According to the GGD, the vaccine protects well against these cancers, which the HPV virus can cause in both men and women.
Young people aged 19 to 26 (born between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 2003) have received a letter about the vaccination in recent weeks. A number of young people will still receive the letter, but they can already make an appointment by calling 0800 – 1608.
