North Wales health board to begin vaccinating healthy 12-15 year olds from October 4th

The health board in North Wales has said it will begin rolling out of Covid jabs for healthy young people aged 12 to 15 from Monday, October 4.

The UK’s four Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) have recommended that all children in the age group should be offered a single dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Wales’ health minister Eluned Morgan confirmed yesterday that she has accepted the advice of the CMOs.

Children in Flintshire will be invited to attend vaccination sites which will be running after school and weekend sessions

A parent or guardian will be asked to provide consent on behalf of the young person and accompany them when receiving their vaccination. 

Gill Harris – Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery said:

“Following the recommendation of the four UK Chief Medical Officers, the Welsh Government has confirmed that young people aged 12-15 will be offered one dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.”

“The vaccine is being offered to this age group on the basis that it will help to reduce transmission and thus further disruption to education and recently restored freedoms, as well as offering a marginal health benefit.”

“We will begin vaccinating those healthy young people aged 12-15 from Monday 4th October.”

“From this date, those aged 12-15 can receive their vaccine by attending any of our vaccination sites, where we will be running after school and weekend sessions. A vaccination appointment can be booked in advance by parents or guardians with parental responsibility through our online booking service. ”

“A parent or guardian will need to provide consent on behalf of the young person and accompany them when receiving their vaccination. ”

“At this stage we are not planning to vaccinate this age group in school based clinics, but we will keep this under review.”

“Appropriate information is currently being collated by Public Health Wales to enable young people and their parents to make an informed choice about vaccination. Further details will be shared very soon. ”

“We will also be writing to the parents/guardians of children aged 12-15 to set out when and where their child can get vaccinated.”

The health minister said the vaccine is not mandatory and people can choose whether to have the vaccine or not.

Speaking during a press conference on Tuesday Ms Morgan said: “There will be appropriate information made available for children and young people and their parents to make up their minds about vaccination.”

“Parents or guardians will be asked to give consent. I encourage parents, guardians, children and young people to discuss together whether or not to have the vaccination.”