São Bernardo do Campo Expands HPV Vaccine Eligibility to Age 19
São Bernardo do Campo is now offering the HPV vaccine to individuals up to 19 years old, extending the previous age limit of 14. The move aligns with a suggestion from the Ministry of Health and aims to address a backlog of unvaccinated individuals, with an estimated 7 million young people aged 15 to 19 across Brazil unprotected against HPV in 2024. The quadrivalent HPV vaccine provides protection against cancers of the uterus, anus, esophagus, mouth, and penis and is administered as a single dose.
“The vaccine is one of the most meaningful tools when we talk about health promotion. We only got here today, as humanity, because of vaccines, which ended up with diseases that decimated the population. Here in São Bernardo we are making this effort and summon all parents and guardians to one of our UBS (Basic Health Units),” stated São Bernardo Secretary of Health, Jean Gorinchteyn.
Gorinchteyn further emphasized the vaccine’s safety and efficacy, noting, “the vaccine is safe, has been widely tested and is one of the main ways to prevent cancer types that are among those who kill people most, when not discovered in time, such as cervical cancer.”
The HPV vaccine is available at all 35 UBS (Basic Health Units) in São Bernardo do Campo, with many offering extended hours. Addresses and opening times can be found at: https://portalsaude.saobernardo.sp.gov.br/portaldasaude/todas-unidades/. The vaccine has been part of the national immunization calendar since 2014.
