Vaccine Roll out in Schools

Almost three million children aged 12-15 years are eligible for one dose of the Pfizer vaccine following the government’s acceptance of the UK Chief Medical Officers’ recommendation. Vaccinating children should help reduce the need for children to have time off school and reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19.

The School Age Immunisation Service (SAIS) has to work through all the schools, so there will always be one school that they start at before others. The Immunisation Services team will contact each school to agree a date for when vaccinations will begin.

I am also reassured that there will be catch-up arrangements in place for any young person who does not receive their vaccine at school on the initial arranged date.

There are around sixty School Age Immunisation Services across the country, and like all school-based vaccination programmes, the vaccines will be administered by healthcare staff working closely with the school and following the usual approach to school-based immunisation. In schools where facilities are not available on site, the local NHS will make arrangements to ensure that pupils can access vaccination in a convenient alternative location, as soon as possible.

In line with standard practice for vaccinations in schools, consent letters are being sent out to parents and guardians with information on the COVID-19 vaccination, so you won’t need to contact the NHS to arrange your son’s vaccination.

For further information about the COVID-19 vaccine please see the helpful link. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-resources-for-schools/covid-19-vaccination-programme-for-young-people-guidance-for-parents

I hope the information I have provided reassures constituents that as the vaccine rollout across schools continues.