To the editor:

I am astounded at the folks who think that a vaccine against the human papilloma virus (the main cause of cervical cancer) encourages immorality.

HPV is the main cause of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer has a very low survival rate. HPV is usually transmitted during sex, but a woman’s chastity does not prevent her from getting it. A woman’s chastity does not prevent rape and does not guarantee the chastity of her future husband.

If you feel that sex before or outside of marriage by either partner in a relationship warrants the woman’s death from a terrible disease, then by all means go ahead and oppose the HPV vaccine. If not, please support the current efforts to mandate the vaccine for girls before they have any chance of being exposed to the virus.

Judy Roitman,

Lawrence