Boys in Ontario will soon be able to get the HPV vaccine in school.

The Human Papilloma Virus vaccine is currently offered free to Grade 8 schoolgirls in Ontario – but starting in September, the program is being expanded to students in Grade 7 – with boys included as well.

The Wynne government says about 154,000 students will be eligible to receive the HPV vaccine each year.

HPV has been estimated by the government to cause about 254 deaths – and almost 1,100 cases of various cancers in Ontario every year.

Medical experts recommend immunizing girls and boys between the ages of nine and 13 against the virus.