WHEREAS, International HPV Awareness Day serves to promote awareness of and encourage education around the signs and symptoms, management, and diagnosis of HPV; and

WHEREAS, HPV is a group of over 200 viruses that are spread through physical contact, and it is the most common sexually transmitted infection according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and

WHEREAS, the HPV vaccination protects against more than 90% of HPV cancers; and

WHEREAS, the HPV vaccination prevents six different types of cancers, including cervical and cancers of the head and neck; and

WHEREAS, regular HPV screenings can help detect, prevent, and improve health outcomes for adolescent and adult women; and

WHEREAS, The Virginia Department of Health recommends the HPV vaccine for children 11-12 years of age and offers additional resources related to the prevention and treatment of HPV; and

WHEREAS, observing National HPV Awareness Day, established in 2018, is intended to help spread awareness about HPV and educate people about vaccinations and other preventative measures;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Governor Abigail D. Spanberger, do hereby recognize the day of March 4, 2026, as INTERNATIONAL HPV AWARENESS DAY in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.