Vaccinations for under-18s — don’t miss out!
The Covid-19 vaccine is good news for the mental and physical wellbeing of young people
FROM SUPPORT with revision to teaching them to scramble an egg, we’re used to giving a helping hand to the younger members of the family. This autumn, it’s important for parents, guardians and carers to help ensure our teenagers are vaccinated, so they don’t miss out on things that matter to them — whether that’s GCSE or A-level classes, family outings or an epic party.
We’ve seen how some other countries, like Israel, have already vaccinated their teenagers. In England, more than 50 per cent of 16-to17-year-olds have already received a dose of the vaccine.
With more than one in 20 people aged between 16 and 29 having had long Covid, the jab is the best way to protect our young people from serious illness and hospitalisation due to the virus.
Vaccinated people are also less likely to pass the virus on to Grandma or Grandpa — particularly worth bearing in mind as we approach winter, when you’ll probably be sitting indoors with them.
The jab is quick, easy and free. If you are a parent or carer, encourage your 16-17-year-old to book it themselves, or help them to book on the NHS website or via the GP, or maybe give them a lift to a walk-in centre.
The vaccine will also be offered to those age 12 to 15. Their jabs will be organised in school or college, just like other immunisations such as HPV, with a consent form for parents or carers to sign.
Even for this age group, the vaccine is far safer than the risks of catching Covid-19 and reduces the chances of hospitalisation due to serious illness caused by the virus.
Like all medicines, vaccines can cause side effects but most are mild and short-term and not everyone gets them and they can be treated with rest and paracetamol (in the dose stated on packaging). There have been recent, very rare cases of heart inflammation reported after Covid-19 vaccines, mostly requiring only rest and simple treatments.
Serious allergic reactions to the vaccination itself are very rare and school age immunisation service teams are all trained to spot and manage allergic reactions. Children with allergies to common foods are not at higher risk of an allergic reaction to the jab.
We asked Dr Dawn Harper (above left) to tell us more about the vaccine:
As a mum of three, how do you feel about them being vaccinated?
All my kids are in their 20s and they’ve all had their vaccines. I was very keen for them to get vaccinated as soon as they were eligible. If I had a 12-to-15-year-old this week I would be signing that consent form and putting them forward for the vaccine…
We know that several countries have been offering the vaccine to 12-to-15-year-olds already, so we already have a lot of data to show that the vaccine is safe in that age group. And whilst they are less likely to get serious illness, I am absolutely in agreement with the chief medical officers being concerned about three things — it’s the impact on their mental health, the impact on their education and also the possibility of long Covid.
I have patients with long Covid and it is a horrible, horrible condition and there is evidence that the vaccine protects against long Covid. That’s why, as an individual, I would encourage young people to have the vaccine.
If young people are vegan or vegetarian, or have an allergy, is the vaccine suitable?
Absolutely. An allergy or being vegan are nothing to worry about when you’re taking the vaccine. [The Pfizer vaccine does not contain any meat derivatives, animal products or egg.]
What if young people are scared of needles?
For the 12-to-15 age group, school nurses are thoroughly experienced in managing this.
If you’re nervous or worried, you can ask to lie down.
You can actually buy over-the-counter anaesthetic cream that you can rub into the top of your arm, 20 minutes before, if you really don’t like needles. I don’t even think I felt my second vaccine going in, it’s such a tiny needle.
For a moment of a sharp scratch to know that you’re protected against Covid, it’s well worth the trade-off.
Was the vaccine rigorously tested on the younger age group?
Yes, I feel very confident about the science behind it.
Last winter, lockdown was tough on young people’s mental health — does the vaccine give us hope that this year will be different?
That would be my exact hope… Expanding the vaccine programme to include these younger people will mean that hopefully they can start to get back to some kind of normality.