COVID-19 vaccination programme for children and young people starts in schools
This week parents and guardians of young people aged 12 to 15 years old are being contacted to ask for their consent for the COVID-19 vaccination ahead of the jabs beginning to be administered in schools next week.
Alternative arrangements will be made to ensure those not in school are offered the vaccine, including those who are home schooled or in secure services.
The UK’s Chief Medical Officers all agree that while COVID-19 is typically mild or asymptomatic in most young people, it can be very unpleasant for some and one dose of the vaccine will provide good protection against severe illness and hospitalisation.
Vaccinating 12 to 15 year olds should also help to reduce the need for young people to have time off school and reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading within schools.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has confirmed that the Pfizer vaccine is safe and effective for 12 to 17 year olds following a rigorous review of the safety, quality and effectiveness of the vaccines in this age group.
The UK has also benefited from having data from the US, Canada and Israel, where vaccines have already been offered universally to young people aged 12 to 15 years old.
You can find out more about the COVID-19 vaccination programme for children and young people on the government's website. There's also a guide for eligible children aged 12 to 17 years old.
