A head teacher in North London has been criticised for suspending the cervical cancer vaccination programme at her girls’ school in Harringey.
Carol Jones, the head at Hornsey School for Girls, has temporarily banned the jab scheme, saying it causes “chaos”.
“We get this hysteria that goes on They say they don’t feel well enough for classes. We’re significantly concerned about the significant amount of time out of their lessons and also that it creates chaos.”
As the jabs are not available at the school, parents have been forced to take days off to take girls to their gps, but many do not stock the vaccines.
“Parents are trying to get the head to reconsider. The whole thing has backfired and actually wasted a lot more time,” one parent told the Evening Standard.
The three HPV cervical cancer vaccines aren’t the only jabs not currently being offered by the school. The suspended programme also included DPT booster shots for diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus, BCG for tuberculosis, and the MMR.
“The council encourages all schools to facilitate vaccinations for pupils, in line with advice for the NHS. However, individual government bodies are entitled to reach their own decisions about how best to arrange for vaccinations to be administered.”
Should all schools ensure take time out to offer vaccines to pupils?
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