Vac to school
All pupils aged 16-17 to be offered jab before hols finish
ALL teens aged 16 and 17 are to be given the chance of a Covid jab by next Monday.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid is speeding up their vaccinations in a frantic bid to have them protected before schools go back next month.
He said: “This will now make sure everybody has the opportunity to get vital protection before returning to college or sixth form.”
They will be offered Pfizer jabs which are 80% effective in preventing infection after one dose.
Speed
Some 250,000 under-18s have already had their first dose.
To speed take-up, NHS England has launched an online walk-in site finder to help teenagers find the nearest centre while 100,000 texts are going to them.
And 800 Gp-led local vaccination sites will be sending out texts and letters inviting 16 and 17-year-olds to book a jab.
Health officials estimate vaccines have already saved 84,600 lives, prevented 23.4 million infections and 66,900 hospitalisations in England.
Teenagers within three months of turning 18 can go online through the National Booking Service or call 119.
Clinically vulnerable children aged 12 to 15 are also to be offered the vaccine by 23 August.
Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “Young people have shown great enthusiasm to get their vaccines.”
Public Health England says the Pfizer jab is 96% effective at stopping serious illness and hospitalisation after two doses.
More than 40 million people have now had two jabs but young people will be back at school before they are eligible for their second.
Grab-a-jab pop-up vaccine sites have been introduced across the country, including at London nightclub Heaven and at football stadiums and festivals. The NHS has partnered with dating apps, social media and Uber and Deliveroo to push vaccination. Polls show only one in 10 aged 16 and 17 are reluctant to get jabbed.
Elliot Aston, 16, of Newtownards, Northern Ireland, said: “We are probably the ones out and about the most.”
NHS primary care director Dr Nikki Kanani said: “Stafff are doing everything they can to offer young people the lifesaving vaccine as quickly as possible.”
A scientist on the Independent Sage panel claims the Tories’ refusal to vaccinate kids under 16 could put 2,000 of them in hospital when schools return.
Cases
Prof Christina Pagel told a briefing up to 15 per day were being admitted to wards during the summer holidays.
Prof Pagel said: “Cases will go up in September.
“We have already had 2,000 hospitalisations of children since May. We could easily have that again next term.”
Around 2% of UK children have had a jab but some countries including the US, Canada and France are routinely vaccinating over-12s.