Vaccine uptake at Donegal schools ‘consistently below the national average’

Vaccine uptake in Donegal schools was less this year than year prior

placeholder image — Vaccine uptake in Donegal schools was less this year than year prior

69% uptake of HPV vaccine in Donegal schools as HSE urges for higher vaccine uptakes

The HSE said Donegal “is consistently below the national average for uptake of the first-year school vaccinations” and urged for a higher uptake of The School Immunisations Programme.

Uptakes of the first-year vaccination cohort in Donegal were lower in the 2024/25 academic year compared to the year prior, with 69% receiving the HPV vaccine at the end of this academic year, down from 72% last year.

The uptake of the Tdap (3in1) vaccine was 76% this year, down from 78% last year. Meanwhile, the uptake for the MenACWY vaccine remained the same at 77%.

Every secondary school in Donegal was visited by the School Immunisations Programme team to vaccinate children for whom parents returned completed consent forms.

The School Immunisations Programme for first years in secondary school consists of three vaccines: HPV, Tdap (3in1), and MenACWY.

The HPV vaccine protects against the HPV virus, which can cause cancer in both boys and girls. The MenACWY vaccine protects against four types of meningococcal disease, which can cause meningitis and septicaemia, whilst the Tdap vaccine protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.

Only one dose of the HPV vaccine is required for full protection in people under the age of 25 years with a healthy immune system.

Senior Medical Officer, Dr Jennifer Doherty, said: “Whilst we do not have uptake figures for the rest of the country yet for this academic year, we know that Donegal is consistently below the national average for the uptake of first-year school vaccinations.

“This puts children in Donegal at an increased risk of vaccine-preventable illnesses compared to their peers in some other parts of the country.”

Clinics will take place in Donegal for those who may have missed getting their vaccines during the school year.

Buncrana Primary Care Centre will host a clinic on July 31 from 9.15am until 1pm.

County Clinic at St Conal’s Campus in Letterkenny will host clinics on August 11 and August 18 from 9.30am until 4.30pm.