Covid-19 vaccinations for 12-15 year olds are now available at local vaccination centres across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
To date, Covid-19 vaccinations for young people aged 12-15 have been mostly delivered in schools, however parents and guardians now have the additional option of booking a vaccination appointment online.
This latest phase of the vaccination rollout will allow pupils who are home-schooled or were off school when vaccines were delivered to receive their vaccination with appointments available this half term. Parents who have changed their mind or prefer to be with their child when they have the vaccine are also encouraged to come forward.
A parent or guardian must attend the booked appointment with their child and consent will be completed by a health professional prior to a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine being given.
Dr Ian Tait, GP and Clinical Chair of NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire CCG said: “The main aim of the Covid-19 school age vaccination programme is to provide protection to the children who receive the vaccine, as well as helping to reduce transmission of Covid-19 in the wider population.
“We’re now expanding the service to include the opportunity to get vaccinated inside or outside of school, making it easier and more convenient for children to get a vaccination, especially over the half-term break.
“It’s quite normal for parents to have questions or even concerns, so I would encourage families to have a conversation about vaccination together. Any parent who previously declined to give consent but has changed their mind is welcome to being their child along for an appointment.”
Letters will be sent out to parents and guardians of 12-15-year-olds over the coming weeks, inviting them to book a vaccine via the National Booking System online or by calling 119.
If a child has already been invited through their school, parents don’t need to act on their invite unless they prefer to get their child vaccinated outside of school.
Children do not need to be registered with a GP or have an NHS number to be vaccinated but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The NHS has also been vaccinating 16-17-year olds with a single dose since the start of August, and anyone in this age group who is not yet vaccinated is still being encouraged to come forward.
