HPV vaccine uptake levels ‘remain concerning’

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By Sarah Lowden

The levels of take up of the human papillomavirus vaccine among young people “remain concerning, particularly in our most deprived communities”, according to a government committee.

A significant proportion of children are not receiving a vaccine according to research by the Women and Equalities Committee.

A year on from its report into STIs, WEC is warning that the government must “step up its efforts” to increase the take up.

The report, last March, found there were record levels of STIs such as syphilis and gonorrhoea. WEC said the vaccine uptake was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and, at the time of publishing the report, uptake remained significantly below 2019 levels.

Since the report, figures for 2023-24 have been published which show further decreases in uptake in some cohorts and reveal that post-pandemic catch-up activity has only been completed in 62.3% of local authorities.

Figures suggest that in some London boroughs over two-thirds of children are missing out on the vaccine.