Covid-19 vaccine: Jabs offered to 12-15 year olds in 800 schools

More than 800 secondary schools in England will be visited by health teams from Monday to offer the coronavirus vaccine to children aged 12 to 15.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the vaccines “will help keep children in the classroom”.

More than 600,000 children have been vaccinated since the launch was extended last month, NHS England said.

About 163,000 have received a jab in the past week after the national reservation system opened to minors under 16.

Last month, UK medical directors recommended that children between the ages of 12 and 15 be offered a dose of the Covid vaccine.

The National Health Service began rollout in England on 20 September.

Efforts to vaccinate pupils returning to class from the mid-term break come as cases in England remain high.

Javid said, “Vaccines are safe and will help keep children in the classroom – I encourage everyone to come forward for their vaccine to protect themselves and the people around them.”

Children can alternatively make an appointment via the national booking system to visit a vaccination center.

About 140,000 children have made appointments to book their vaccine in the coming weeks, NHS England said.

Professor Adam Finn, a pediatrician who is a member of the UK Vaccine Expert Group JCVI, said vaccinating teens “would minimize the possibility of education disruption, which is indeed the greatest damage the pandemic has done. to our children “.

But he told BBC Breakfast it would also increase overall immunity levels in the population, helping to reduce the spread of the virus.

With the US Food and Drug Administration having approved Pfizer vaccine for children aged 5 to 11, Professor Finn said the UK and the EU are likely to follow suit.

But he said a decision on giving the vaccine to younger children will depend on whether or not the pandemic is needed at that time.

Dr Nikki Kanani, deputy head of the NHS Covid-19 vaccination program, said efforts to vaccinate 12 to 15-year-olds “won’t stop.”

Dr Kanani, who also works as a primary care physician, added: “It is really important to continue with the same enthusiasm if we are to ensure that children can be in class with their schoolmates this winter, so I encourage all parents and parents. guardians to go online and read your child’s vaccination information, so you can make an informed decision. “

Pupils are also advised to get tested for coronavirus before returning to school to reduce the interruption of classes.

Since the end of September, there has been an increase in the number of confirmed cases per day.

Across the UK, another 41,278 positive cases were announced on Saturday, and the seven-day average remains above 40,000 cases.

Most areas in England have more than 400 cases per 100,000 people.