FEARS over the safety of a cervical cancer jab have forced some Oxfordshire schools to cancel immunisation programmes, it emerged last night.
Oxford High School for Girls scrapped yesterday’s session for 400 pupils, after the death on Monday of Coventry schoolgirl Natalie Morton.
The 14-year-old died shortly after being given a cervical cancer vaccine, but it has since emerged she had a “serious underlying medical condition”.
Oxford High’s vaccination programme has been suspended until the full results of her postmortem examination are known. Deputy head Olwen Curry said: “We had some girls and parents expressing concern about it.”
The Dragon School, in North Oxford, has also postponed vaccinations, while the all-girl Wychwood School is understood to have done the same.
Oxfordshire PCT said it would be continuing with its vaccination programme.
Dr Jonathan McWilliam, Oxfordshire’s director of public health, said: “The primary care trust has alerted all Oxfordshire GP practices and school health nurses to check their current HPV stock and quarantine the doses with the particular batch number."
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