The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has started sending text messages and emails to families of approximately 317,000 children aged 11 to 18 years. The notifications are directed at those whose records in the Colorado Immunization Information System indicate they may be overdue for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
The department’s outreach aims to remind parents and guardians about the importance of vaccinating their children against HPV, which is known to cause several types of cancer. According to CDPHE, “Give your child lasting protection against cancer. According to our records, your child aged 11-18 years may be due for their human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine(s). The HPV vaccine protects against infections that can cause six types of cancers, and it has led to an 88% drop in HPV infections and pre-cancerous conditions in vaccinated teens and young adults. Find a vaccine provider today: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/find-no-cost-vaccine-provider.
You can exempt your child/children from school-required vaccines. More info: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/vaccine-exemptions”
Emails sent by the department provide further details: “Dear parent(s) and/or guardian(s),
According to state public health records, your child aged 11 through 18 years may be due for a human papillomavirus (HPV) routine vaccine(s).
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Persistent HPV infections can cause six different types of cancer. The HPV vaccine offers lasting protection against HPV infections that cause these cancers. It has led to an 88% drop in HPV infections and pre-cancerous conditions in teens and young adults who get the vaccine.
The HPV vaccine prevents new HPV infections but it doesn’t treat ones someone already has. That’s why it works best when kids get vaccinated before they are exposed to HPV. The recommended age to get the vaccine is at 11 or 12 years, with just two doses given 6-12 months apart. Kids can also begin their HPV vaccine series early at 9 or 10 years of age, if parents so choose. Contact a health care provider or your local public health agency to make an appointment and to learn more about HPV.
If your child/children are already up to date with their HPV vaccine(s), let us know by filling out this secure form. Be sure to attach a copy of their vaccine record. We are standing by to update their vaccination record in our Colorado Immunization Information System and will notify you by email when it has been updated.
To find a vaccine provider near you, visit: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/immunizations/get-vaccinated.
You can exempt your child/children from school-required vaccines. For more information, visit cdphe.colorado.gov/vaccine-exemptions.
You can access the immunization record for yourself or your child from the online Colorado Immunization Information System self-serve portal. For more information, including step-by-step directions on how to use the portal, visit cdphe.colorado.gov/immunization/for-the-public/get-a-copy-of-your-records.”
Most insurance plans such as Medicaid and CHP+ cover childhood vaccinations without cost when provided by participating healthcare providers across Colorado; individuals without insurance can also receive recommended vaccines free at nearly 600 locations statewide.
This campaign is part of CDPHE’s efforts to increase vaccination rates among adolescents in order to prevent certain cancers linked with persistent HPV infection.
