2nd dose of cervical cancer vaccine due - but dd won't be here and the health centre say it must be done on the EXACT day

[mumonthenet]

any one heard this?

DD17 goes to college 3 hours drive away.

She had her first dose of the vaccine at our local health centre.

She won't be here on the day it's due - she's back at college then but the health centre near college say they can't do it.

So to have it on the correct day she would have to stay here, miss college. Then transport become impossible so I would have to drive her back.

She can't have it the day before because we are away on holiday.

The only day she can have it is one full week before it's due and my health centre says thats TOO EARLY fgs.

I think it is important, personally I would drive her and get it done on the right day. Not much help though sorry

Did they not tell you it was important when you had the first one done?

yep, king, they did say it was important and that one day either way would be ok. Of course it was only then that I realised that the due dose would fall two days after we get back from holiday and the day she's supposed to be back at college.

We were hopeful the HC near her college could do it but now it turns out they won't.

yep it's important so I will probably end up driving her back.

Seems strange that the day of the dose is so important but I will be guided by the health officials. Be a fool not too!!

I do wonder why it is so important, I mean, if it is that key then shouldn't they be taking into account how the body reacts to the injection? After all everyone reacts to and processes things differently.

It is a shame that it has to cause you strife!

Have a look at Cancer Research UK's website or the Department of Health - would be worth double checking it HAS to be on that day.

Odd that the college health centre won't give it, wonder why? No side effects have been reported beyond the usual minor vaccine stuff like redness or soreness around the site of the injection - and very, very, very rarely (something like two or three cases out of the hundreds of thousands or millions of girls and women who have had it around the world) anaphylactic shock (again, can happen with any vaccine). But the people giving the vaccine are trained to recognise and deal with this and your dd has had one shot with no problems.

I spoke to one of the world-class experts involved in the trials who said the vaccine reduced the number of abnormal smears to virtually nothing and reduced the number of high-grade abnormal smears to zero, so definitely worth having it on the right day if that turns out to be essential.

(Oh, and a few schoolgirls who were all lined up together got hysterical but that's because they were lined up together and being silly, they were all FINE.)

missing one day of college to have an important vac, theres no competiton really is there

The other HC won't give it because their stocks are ordered on the basis of the number of inhabitants needing it. It's completely another area, and my local HC here did warn me that might be the case. It's quite an expensive vaccine(?500-?600 over the counter) so they can't afford to be wasting it.

I support that policy - at least this country is offering it - unlike Ireland who cancelled the whole programme when they discovered they didn't have the money!

I tried to get info on the NHS re the delays between doses but couldn't find it. thought I'd get the info quicker on MN!

No, no side effects for the first dose though the nurse insisted we stay at the HC for 30-60 mins afterwards.

no loopy, no competition at all and am planning to drive her back to college after the jab.

I was just curious really as to whether this business about giving it on the exact date important. She could have it one week before it's due (before our hols) but apparently that's no good either!!

It doesn't need to given on the same day, loads of kids in school missed their 2nd dose due to illness etc. It can be given later, i would ask them to check the information provided by the vaccine manufacturer.

However having said that it is important for her to have it.

The NHS website states the following:-

What if I miss my vaccination?
It?s important to rearrange your vaccination for another time soon after the date of your missed one. Three vaccinations are needed over about a 6 month period ? the second is 1-2 months after your first injection, and the third is about 6 months after your first injection.

www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Vaccines/HPV/Having_the_vaccination/What_if_I_miss_my_vaccination

They won't do the immunisation any earlier but you should be able to book to have it after the date it has been offered. Hope that makes sense

I was thinking that MrsO. what about the kids that miss it through illness etc?

It might be the case that they don't yet know how a delay in giving the dose might compromise its efficiency. Obviously I wouldn't take the risk if there's any possibility of that.

cross posts mrs o.

thanks. will check that out.

But why does it seem so different from the advice I was given. Is my HC just being extra cautious?

Probably because it's a new vaccine and they are being cautious, however, as you can see from the link it can be given later. I'd just telephone them and explain that the official NHS immunisation website states this and see what they say. I would rearrange for her to have it as soon you can as it should be done as close to the stated intervals as you can.

It doesn't have to be done on the exact day. That's rubbish. There is a month long window when it can be given.

We're giving it in school and if a girl is absent that day we just do it within a month.

I can see why another health centre won't give it - it has to be ordered and given on a named patient basis, so for eg if we have to go to a school to vaccinate 100 girls we order and take 100 vaccines. We are not allowed to give it to anyone not meeting the criteria, or who is out of area.

Sidge are you a fellow school nurse?

I am MrsO - you too??

Yes i am , how exciting!

Ooh, how long have you been one? I only started in September (was a practice nurse before that) so am still Very New. Enjoying it but far too much paperwork and CP conferences and not enough school visits...

(Sorry for hijack)

We have given a 2nd dose to a girl just moved to our area who had first dose in another area.

As long as she is registered and within set birth dates we will get paid for it!

Juat tryibg to get them all in so final dose is done before they all leave school & move to Uni etc.

Is that at a GP surgery Milliways?

I know we can give it if the child has 'officially' transferred from another school or county.

About 7 years now, but i don't as much clinical now as i'm a manager and the clinical i do is mostly safeguarding!

don't do

Yes, a surgery.

The return we fill in is just Number of 1st, 2nd or 3rd doses given to girls in the cohort, so each month I check for new registrations and invite them if they are the right age.