ST JAMES, Jamaica — Medical Officer of Health for Westmoreland, Dr Marcia Graham, says that the parish’s health department will be promoting various vaccines during Vaccination Week, which is being observed April 23-30.

Dr Graham was speaking to journalists in an interview at the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation offices recently.

She also reminded that April is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month “so in Vaccination Week we will be promoting the HPV vaccine, but we will also be promoting pap smears, so it’s also pap smear week and we are encouraging all our women who are sexually active or over age 21 to visit the nearest health centre or their private provider to get a pap smear done if you have not had one in the last year”.

The HPV vaccine helps to prevent cervical cancer and is administered to females aged 12 to 15 years old.

According to the Centres for Disease Control in the United States, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. It is usually harmless and goes away by itself, but some types can lead to genital warts or cancer. Nearly all cases of cervical cancer can be attributed to HPV infection.

Dr Graham further noted that the department will also be promoting the flu and COVID-19 vaccines, especially among the most vulnerable, such as persons who are 60 years or older and those who are living with comorbidities.

“With chronic diseases like [diabetes], [high] blood pressure, asthma, HIV, sickle cell, we encourage you, if you have not yet been vaccinated, get your COVID-19 vaccine and if you have been vaccinated and you are due a booster, boost your protection against COVID-19.”

She highlighted that the polio vaccine will also be promoted “as polio cases have been recorded elsewhere and so we are trying to protect ourselves against polio as well”.

Vaccination Week is being observed under the theme “Are you fully vaccinated? #getallyourshots”.