VACCINATION sites at Peterlee and Bowburn, County Durham, are to offer dedicated ‘Junior Jab’ Covid-19 vaccination clinics for 12–15-year-olds to help increase protection for young people across the county.
12–15-year-olds who missed their first vaccination at school, or who are now eligible for a second dose, can walk-in to one of two ‘SuperShot Saturday’ Clinics for their jab, accompanied by an adult with parental responsibility.
Having the vaccine protects children from serious illness, making them less likely to spread Covid-19, and helps protect their friends and family from getting seriously ill from the virus.
The Pfizer ‘Junior Jab clinics will be held on:
Saturday 22nd January at Peterlee Community Hospital, SR8 5UQ ,10am-4pm
Saturday 29th January, Bowburn Community Centre, DH6 5AT, 10am-4pm
A 15-minute wait will be required post vaccination.
Any young person testing positive for COVID-19 will need to wait 12 weeks before attending a vaccination clinic – the 12 weeks start from the date of their positive PCR test.
Andrea Malt, Clinical Services Manager, IntraHealth, Peterlee, said: “It’s so important that our young people protect themselves, their families and the wider community by getting a second Covid vaccination, if it’s been 12 weeks since their first.
“It’s also not too late for them to get a first vaccination, if they missed their school date, or couldn’t have it sooner due to having had Covid in the past few months.
“Both clinics are specifically for 12–15-year-olds, there are no appointments needed, and health staff will be available to speak to children and their parents/carers about any concerns they may have”.
Kate Huddart, Head of Medicines Optimisation, NHS County Durham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), added: “It is vital we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease.
“The COVID-19 vaccine is the best protection we have, and our dedicated teams are working really hard to ensure we are able to offer the vaccine to as many young people across our communities as possible.”
The NHS offer the following advice on children and the Covid vaccination:
- COVID-19 is usually mild in most children, but it can make some children unwell.
- 1 dose of the COVID-19 vaccine gives good protection against your child getting seriously ill. But 2 doses gives stronger and longer-lasting protection.
- Vaccinating children can also help stop the spread of COVID-19 to other people, including within schools.
- Children can get a 1st dose of the vaccine from the day they turn 12.
- Most children can get a 2nd dose from 12 weeks after they had their 1st dose.
- If your child has tested positive for COVID-19 and is not at high risk from COVID-19, they need to wait 12 weeks before they can have a COVID-19 vaccine. This starts from the date of their positive PCR test.
- Most children would have been offered a 1st and 2nd dose of the vaccine at school during school hours, School immunisation teams would have visited your child’s school to give the vaccine.
- Children will be given the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for both doses. You can read the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine patient information leaflet on GOV.UK.