Beginning the first week of December, the second dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine will be offered to Grade 8 girls in Guelph and Wellington and Dufferin counties who received the first dose of the vaccine earlier this school year. The vaccine is voluntary and will continue to be offered in school-based clinics.

The Ontario government announced the publicly funded vaccination program in August. HPV is a common virus that can cause cancer of the cervix and genital warts. Each year in Ontario, about 500 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and about 150 women die of the disease.

Grade 8 girls who missed the first dose of the HPV vaccine are still eligible for the publicly funded vaccination program this year. Appointments to have the first dose of the vaccine can be made by calling the Wellington-Dufferin- Guelph Public Health Intake Line at 519-846- 2715 extension 4633.

For more information about clinic dates, HPV and cervical cancer go to www.wdghu.org .