The province of P.E.I. has delayed a program to vaccinate young girls against HPV, a virus linked to cervical cancer.

The series of three shots is offered to girls in Grades 6 and 9. The vaccine is administered by public health nurses, but deputy chief health officer Dr. Lamont Sweet told CBC News on Tuesday those nurses were assigned to deliver the H1N1 vaccine instead.

"The first dose has been given, the second dose, which is normally given a month later, has been delayed in many schools because the nursing staff have been busy with the H1N1 vaccine program," said Sweet.

The third shot will be administered by the end of the school year.