Schools to offer vaccines for under 15s from today

Children aged between 12 and 15 will be offered the jab

As of today, schools will now be offering children the Covid-19 vaccine as part of the next step in the government's vaccination programme. As reported in multiple outlets, thousands of children aged between 12 and 15 will now be offered a first dose of the coronavirus vaccination, with the plan rolling out in more than 800 schools across the UK. The plans to make a dose of the Pfizer vaccine were first announced back in September, with the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) being swayed to make the vaccine available not only as a health benefit but to help stem classroom disruption. Kids aged between 12 and 17 have already been offered a double dose if they are high risk or live with someone who is immunocompromised. It is estimated that more than 600,000 young people in the 12-15 age bracket have already had the jab since then. While many parents may have voiced concerns about offering the jab to their children, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said introducing the vaccine is not only a health benefit but "will help keep children in the classroom". According to NHS England, the jab will be made available on school grounds but pupils will also be able to make an appointment to visit a vaccine centre using the booking system. Full consent will of course be required, with the schools required to supply information to their SAIS (school age immunisation services) provider on which children are eligible. With students set to return to classrooms after half-term, they are also being encouraged to take a lateral flow test, at the very least, before joining back up with their teachers and peers.

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