Jersey has 'highest uptake' of HPV vaccine

Jersey has the highest uptake of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine across the British Isles, according to the island's medical officer of health.

Dr Susan Turnbull said the vaccine for 12 and 13 year old girls helps prevent cervical cancer.

She said: "A perfectionist would want it to be 100% and we are working in that direction but 92% is excellent."

In England, 84.1% of girls have had the vaccine, introduced five years ago, compared to Jersey's 92%, she said.

She said Jersey should be proud of its figures.

Dr Turnbull said girls who have had the vaccine will still need to have smear tests because the vaccine only protects against 70% of strains of the virus.

But she said there were vaccines on the way to cover more strains and eventually cervical screening could become a thing of the past.