From Sept. 1, eighth-grade boys, as well as girls, are to be eligible for free human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, the Taipei City Government said yesterday.
The Taipei Department of Health in December last year announced a plan to expand vaccine eligibility to boys this year.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) yesterday announced the launch of the program.
Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times
Medical studies have found that about 80 percent of sexually active men and women would contract HPV at least once in their lifetime, Chiang said, adding that HPV increases the risk of cervical cancer in women, and head and neck cancers in men.
The WHO suggests girls under the age of 15 should be the primary targets for HPV vaccination, while boys are secondary targets, he said.
The city government increased the budget to include junior-high school boys, with vaccines available on campus, Chiang said.
Boys who enrolled in the city’s junior-high schools in the 2023 school year would be covered, and approximately 10,000 of them are to benefit from the policy, the health department said.
While women can undergo regular pap smears for early detection and treatment of cervical cancer, most men are asymptomatic if they have HPV and do not receive regular screenings, so getting the vaccine is the best prevention method, National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) vice superintendent Lou Pei-jen (婁培人) said.
Aside from an increased risk of developing certain cancers, HPV can also cause genital warts, which are not life-threatening, but might cause psychological distress, NTUH pediatrician Lee Ping-ing (李秉穎) said.
The health department plans to invite experts to hold lectures at the city’s junior-high schools starting this month, to increase students’ awareness and willingness to get vaccinated, and work with schools to provide informational leaflets and consent forms for parents before vaccination begins, department Commissioner Chen Yen-yuan (陳彥元) said.
Students who are unable to get the shots when vaccination stations are set up at their schools can bring a letter to contracted hospitals in the city to receive one later, he added.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
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