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Quarter ~5TO1* W~Wof eligible Catholic ~--~ girls get vaccine By Tum Foran ik a&CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF U UnIv about a quarter of ail elîgi- ble Grade 8 girls in Halions Englisb M_ Aw -MCatbolic schools in the lasi scbool À q year started a vaccination program that combats a leading cause of cer- 1) S EELE AV E U E ical cancer, accordîng to a staff report reviewed by regional councils ý7j bealtb commiîîee Fuesday ThIats about 35 per cent less iban girls ai boib Halions public and Frencb Catbolic sebools, according t0 Regional staff. its also, a 10 per cent drop from tbe percentage of Englisb Catbolic Grade 8 girls wbo received tbe vac- cine tbe previous scbool year of 2007-08, according to tbe report. Tbe vaccine, wbicb protects against two strains of HPV that cause 70 per cent of cervical cancer cases, is optînnal and requires parental con- "It is very likely the reason for tbe decrease is the fact we couldnît gel int tbe sebools," Halton Mediral Officer of Healtb Dr. Bob Nosal said in an interview following tbe bealtb committee meeting. Nosal was referning to a decision made by tbe Halton Caîbolie District Sebool Board (HCDSB) in june, 2008, wben five of tbe boards nine trustees voted to stop allowing E EN 1. S M BE Rýibe bealth department to administer > tbe vaccine, called Gardasil, ai ils AT; 5:scbools. "The discussion focused on the importance of our board to sustain a, la lieB du M ak aWà>,lai â 0ad and promoîe ascbool system as a see HPV on page A18 ___ ___ ___ __ SPORTS A20 CLASSIFIRD A23 VE NDY 1:0-5:000 ATS El OPEScN 7 DAYS TO SERVEYOU BElTER ... OVER 200 VEHILES -,wmitoncanadianchamnpion.com &'-ft 99 IIW> ow .l72UC mufi nwÉbo, OCiiTonvarabe aie .ymear -fuUnd. TLffUIyzseeodwubaedn20OOkms1 .5