First jabs offered to all aged 16 and 17 as new term looms
EVERY 16 and 17-year-old in England will have been offered their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by next week, the Government has pledged.
As part of a drive to ramp up protection before schools return, Health Secretary Sajid Javid has set August 23 as the date by which everyone in this age group will have had the chance for a jab.
The announcement comes as Carrie Johnson urged pregnant women to get vaccinated.
The Prime Minister’s wife posted a selfie on Instagram and said she was “feeling great” after having her jab.
Mrs Johnson, who is pregnant with the couple’s second child and also suffered a miscarriage earlier this year, sought to calm anxieties about vaccinations.
She said: “I know there are lots of pregnant women who are anxious about getting their Covid vaccine but the evidence is incredibly reassuring. Most importantly, the data shows there is no increased risk of miscarriage, something I was definitely concerned about.
“Nearly 200,000 pregnant women across the UK and US have received the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines recommended during pregnancy, without safety concerns.the Royal College of Midwives has said expectant mothers are at greater risk of serious illness if they get Covid so being vaccinated really is the best way to keep you and your baby safe.”
Clinically vulnerable children aged 12 to 15, and those who live with adults at increased risk of serious illness from the virus, are also urged to get jabbed.
NHS England has launched an online tool so 16 to 17-yearolds can locate their nearest walk-in centre. Mr Javid had a clear message for targeted teenagers: “Please don’t delay – get your jabs as soon as you can so we can continue to safely live with this virus and enjoy our freedoms by giving yourself, your family and community the protection they need.”
From tomorrow, people who are double-jabbed or under 18 will no longer have to selfisolate if they have been in close contact with someone who has Covid. Instead, they will be advised to get a free PCR test. Anyone who tests positive following the test will still have to self-isolate.
The change follows weeks of concern about the so-called “pingdemic” which was blamed for causing staff shortages.
In a further move, the cost of travel tests for people who arrive from abroad is to be cut. It will fall from £88 to £68 for UK travellers who have come from green list countries, or those fully vaccinated coming from amber list nations.
This follows criticism from the travel industry andtory MPS, as reported by the Sunday Express last week, that the cost of tests was adding a heavy financial burden on families.
Mr Javid acknowledged the cost can be “a barrier” to people who wanted to go on a summer holiday and said consumers needed to be protected from “exploitative practices”.
A 10-day internal review of the pricing and standards of test providers has been announced.
He said: “Too many providers are acting like cowboys and that needs to stop.the public should be allowed to enjoy their summer holidays without having to face excessive costs or anxiety.”
Yesterday, a further 29,520 Covid cases were reported, and 93 deaths, down from 103 last week.
CUT TEST COSTS: How we reported criticism
last weekend