Local schools have begun the rollout of letters to parents informing them of the plans for children aged 12-15 to be offered one dose of the COVID-19 vaccination.
The letter, which is written by the Director of Public Health of Walsall Council, Stephen Gunther, and the Managing Director of the Black Country and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group, Geraint Griffiths-Dale, reads (in part):
“One dose of the vaccine will provide good protection against severe illness and hospitalisation. Very few healthy children and young people with COVID-19 infection go on to have severe illness, but vaccinating secondary school children (12-15 years old) should help to reduce the need for them to have time off school, disrupting face to face learning and reduces the risk of the spread of COVID-19 within school settings.
The vaccination programme will be delivered within Walsall secondary schools (including secondary, special, PRU’s, independent and private) by our skilled and experienced School Aged Immunisation Service. This is provided by Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, who will be legally responsible for the programme; with oversight from Black Country and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group, and the Public Health and education teams at Walsall Council.”
A timetable for school visits to administer the vaccine is in the planning with parents due to receive further information between now and October half-term regarding their child’s eligibility, with plans to commence vaccinations of children after the October half-term.
By mid-November, they hope to have vaccinated as many children as possible.
Parents are informed that they do not need to do anything else at this point, but will hear more from the School Aged Immunisation Service soon.
Further information can be found on the government website.