Frequently Asked Questions
When will the vaccination of healthy 12-15 year-old children start?
In line with the DHSC’s decision on Monday 13 September, the NHS has written to organisations that provide school-age immunisation services (‘SAIS’ providers), setting out what they must do to make sure all children aged 12 to 15 are offered a date to receive their COVID-19 vaccination before the October half-term break.
This letter confirms that vaccination in schools should begin from Wednesday 22 September, with most school visits completed and children vaccinated before the half-term break where possible.
Who will be responsible for giving the COVID-19 vaccine to healthy 12-15-year-olds?
Vaccination will be carried out by school-aged immunisation service (SAIS) providers, a group of provider organisations, such as Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, who are contracted in local systems to provide routine immunisation services. The COVID-19 programme will be delivered by staff who are experienced in delivering COVID vaccinations.
We hope that these Frequently Asked Questions will answer the queries that you have. If you are unable to find the information you need here, you can contact the COVID vaccination email below. Please be aware that the normal SAIS telephone line will continue to manage queries related to the flu vaccine and cannot provide information about the COVID-19 programme.
What will be the role of schools?
Schools will have three main roles, similar to those in other vaccination programmes:
- provide information to their SAIS provider on which children are on their roll
- share information that the SAIS provider needs parents and children to have
- provide the space within school, and the time away from the timetable, to enable vaccinations to take place
Who gives consent for COVID-19 vaccination – and how?
As with all school aged vaccinations parents or those with parental responsibility will be sent an invitation to consent for the vaccination by email/electronically from the child’ school. This invitation will include a link to information and an online consent form. Consent forms should be completed online and submitted as soon as possible to state if you wish your child to receive the vaccination in school or not.
We would encourage you to discuss with your child/young person when making the decision about receiving a COVID vaccination. We will be working within the existing legal framework for consent, and no vaccinations will be given to anyone who declines on the day, or in any cases where there is a difference of opinion about consent. Where a difference of opinion exists our primary approach will be to resolve any family differences by contacting parents and working with families to agree an acceptable outcome for the child and parents. If an agreed position is not possible we will offer a ‘Gillick’ competence assessment and will only proceed with vaccination if a child/ young person is able to demonstrate such competence. Further information about Gillik competence can be found here: Gillick competence and Fraser guidelines | NSPCC Learning.
I have already consented to my child having the flu vaccination – will this consent be used for the covid vaccination?
No. The consent process for the covid vaccination will be managed separately to the flu programme and any parent that has offered consent to-date for the flu vaccination can be assured that this consent is not applicable nor will be used to vaccinate their child/ children with the covid vaccine.
Will school-based vaccination be available for children within a few weeks of their twelfth birthday?
No children under the age of 12 can receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 (Comirnaty®) is the only vaccine currently authorised for those aged 12-15. This vaccination is licensed only for children aged 12 and above, so only children who are 12 on or before the date of vaccination will be vaccinated. Further information will be available shortly regarding ongoing availability of vaccines for those turning 12 following our initial visits to schools and you will be contacted with this information once available.
Will school-based vaccination be available for 16-17.75 year olds?
Alternatives are available for children aged 16-17.75. Young adults in this age range are able to walk into our mass vaccination centres at Princess Royal Sports Arena in Boston, or Lincoln Showground between 8am – 7.30pm, 7 days per week to receive their vaccination, or if this is not convenient please speak to your GP Practice.
How will I know when my child will be offered the vaccination?
COVID vaccination school visits will take place between 27th September 2021 and 22nd October 2021. If you wish to know the date scheduled for your child’s school, please see the school calendar or contact the school.
Do I need to contact the NHS or my child’s GP?
No, parents or guardians do not need to contact their local GP or other NHS services, nor make an appointment through the National Booking Service. Processes are in place to exclude children that have already received a first dose under previous JCVI advice.
How many doses of the vaccination will my child be offered?
At this time the UK’s four Chief Medical Officers have advised that 12-15 year olds should be offered a first dose only, which will be of the Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) vaccine, the only vaccine currently authorised for those aged 12-15.
The recommendation for those aged 12-15 at greater risk of serious COVID-19, or who are household contacts of severely immunosuppressed individuals, remains that they be offered two doses. Those that have specific immunosuppressive condition as set out in JCVI guidance should have three doses in their primary schedule. If your child is in this group, you will be contacted separately for additional doses.
Is the covid vaccination safe for my child?
The vaccine is safe, quick and effective. It does not give people the COVID-19 virus and does not contain any animal products.
This group (12-15s) are the latest to become eligible for the life-saving jab. More than 88% of adults aged over 18 have had both doses, and more than 56% of 16- and 17-year-olds have now received a first dose (matching JCVI’s current recommendation) since this group were invited in mid-August. The vaccination has been delivered to children within a number of other EU and international countries with no significant safety concerns.
I am concerned that the vaccine may cause heart inflammation, should I be worried about this?
Recently, cases of inflammation of the heart (called myocarditis or pericarditis) have been reported very rarely after COVID-19 vaccines. Most of these cases have been in younger men and usually a few days after the second vaccination. Most people recovered and felt better following rest and simple treatments.
Does my child need to be registered with a GP or have an NHS number?
No, children do not need to be registered with a GP or have an NHS number to be vaccinated.
How will the covid vaccination be given alongside the flu vaccination?
We will be offering separate sessions for the influenza vaccination and the COVID vaccination. The vaccines are safe to be given on the same day however, in Lincolnshire the vaccinations will not be offered on the same day in schools.
My child is home educated or excluded from school, how will they be offered vaccination?
Those being home educated or currently excluded from school will shortly receive an invitation to attend an appointment with our vaccination centres.
My child was not in attendance at school on the day that SAIS visited, could not have the vaccination because of a recent positive COVID test or turned 12 just after the visit, but I would still like them to receive a COVID vaccination.
Nationally we have been asked to provide a school aged immunisation service so all children will be offered vaccination at school across England. We anticipate that once this is complete we will be asked to provide alternative provision for children who were not able to have the vaccination on the day that the SAIS team visited the school.
My child is needle phobic and as a parent I would like to accompany them for their vaccination?
Nationally we have been asked to provide a school aged immunisation service so all children will be offered vaccination at school across England. We anticipate that once this is complete we will be asked to provide alternative provision for children who are not able, for whatever reason including needle phobia to have their vaccination within the school setting. Further detail will be provided when available.
My child has recently had Covid, can they still receive the vaccination?
Current guidance states that a covid vaccination should not be administered if the person has within the past 28 days tested positive for COVID-19. This question is included on the consent form, please provide the date your child first experienced symptoms or received a positive PCR test, whichever is the earlier date. Nationally we have been asked to provide a school aged immunisation service so all children will be offered vaccination at school across England. We anticipate that once this is complete we will be asked to provide alternative provision for children who were not able to have the vaccination on the day that the SAIS team visited the school.
What happens if my child has missed the opportunity to be vaccinated in school?
Once the school vaccination programme is complete we anticipate being able to offer alternative vaccination routes to those 12-15 year-old children who, for any reason, did not receive their vaccination in school. We expect to be able to share details via your child’s school before the October half-term.
Resources you might find useful:
Public Health England has published various resources for parents, children and young people, including posters and health information, which can be found here.
If you haven’t found the answer to your query and still need some advice, please email the COVID-19 vaccination team on lccg.c.19vaccinationcell@nhs.net.