All 16 and 17-year-olds in England to be offered COVID vaccine by 23 August
pharmafile | August 16, 2021 | News story | Sales and Marketing |
The UK government has announced that all 16 and 17-year-olds will be offered their first COVID vaccine dose or the chance to book one by 23 August.
The Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, said the date would give teenagers two weeks to build up immunity before school starts again in September.
Invitations are also being sent out in Wales, while older teenagers in Northern Ireland can use walk-in centres. In Scotland, older teens can register their interest online.
The UK reported 26,750 cases and 61 deaths within 28 days of a positive test on Sunday, down from 26,750 cases and 93 deaths on Saturday.
Unlike older age groups, no second dose is being scheduled.
About 100,000 texts are being sent to eligible teenagers inviting them to book their jabs. They will be able to get vaccinated at one of more than 800 GP-led local vaccination sites, and NHS England has launched a new online walk-in site finder to help them locate the nearest available centre. Further sites will come online over the coming days and weeks.
Javid said: “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 your community the protection they need.”
Dr Nikki Kanani, NHS medical director of primary care and deputy lead for the vaccination programme in England, said more than a quarter of a million under-18s had had a first jab.
“Now as teenagers prepare to head back to school or college or into their first full-time jobs, once again NHS staff are doing everything they can to offer young people the lifesaving vaccine as quickly as possible to protect themselves and others.”
According to data from Public Health England and Cambridge University, vaccines have saved about 84,600 lives and prevented 23.4m infections and 66,900 hospitalisations in England up to 6 August.
The latest data shows that 70% of people aged 18 to 29 in England had received a first dose of vaccine up to 11 August.
Kat Jenkins
