Second dose appointments to open for 12 to 15 year olds

The Government has announced that 12 to 15 year olds will be able to get their second Covid vaccine dose from Monday, December 20^th.

Appointments for children in this age group for their follow-up jab can be made from Monday on the NHS national booking system.

Parents can now book the vaccine for their child at various locations. Blackburn Vaccination centre at Blackburn Cathedral is offering the service along with other possible locations on the borough. The vaccine offered will be Pfizer.

You can find your nearest vaccination service and book at:  www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

The Government announced the news as part of its response to the Omicron variant which means the vaccination programme is now being hugely sped up in a bid to fight this.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that he hoped as many people aged 12-15 as possible would be able to get their second dose before returning to school for the new term in January 2022.

Parents and guardians are advised to attend vaccination sites with their children if they want them to get vaccinated outside of school hours and consent will be sought on the day. Parents and young people are being asked to read the patient information in advance of arriving for their appointment. This can also be accessed online.

Dominic Harrison, Blackburn with Darwen’s Director of Public Health, said:

This second dose for 12 to 15 year olds as part of the speeding up of the vaccination rollout is further good news and is another defence in the fight against the Omicron variant.

This age group getting a second dose of the vaccination will not only help to protect our young people over the winter, especially when they return to school in January, but will help to prevent family and community transmission of the virus as well. I hope any young people taking up this offer are able to book an appointment from Monday.”