Dear Parents/Carers,
I must say that the start of this academic year has been a joy to behold: our pupils are back in school, in full uniform and in specialist classrooms. We are maintaining safety measures such as sanitising and good ventilation but we are embracing these as part of our new ‘normal’!
Information on COVID-19 vaccinations for 12-15 year olds
As you will be aware, the UK’s Chief Medical Officers have announced that all 12-15 year olds will be offered a first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (commonly known just as the Pfizer vaccine) as the next phase of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme.
As part of this programme, vaccinations will be delivered at the school by Trafford Local Care Organisation (TLCO) via their NHS School Health Immunisation Service. This is the NHS team who deliver a range of other vaccinations in the borough’s school as part of their regular work. They will be supported by the school nursing service.
Once dates are set as part of the timetable for vaccinations across the city, parents or guardians of children aged 12-15 will receive a communication from the service with details of when the vaccination will be offered. For most children, this will be through a session at the school. Parents will be asked to provide consent for their child to receive the vaccination, either through an online or a paper form.
Parents or guardians do not need to contact their local GP or other NHS services to book a vaccine. Children do not need to be registered with a GP or have an NHS number to be vaccinated.
12-15 year olds are the latest group to become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. More than 88% of adults aged over 18 have had both doses, and more than 56% of 16 and 17-year olds have also now received a first dose since this group were invited in mid-August.
The NHS is encouraging parents and guardians to have a discussion with children as soon as possible about the vaccination so you can make an informed decision. There are a range of national leaflets available that explain more about the vaccine, the benefits, it’s effectiveness and side effects at:
We will keep you updated as we receive dates and more information on when the vaccine will be delivered at the school.
Yours sincerely,
Nic Doward
