Over half of all 12-15 year olds in Flintshire have now had a Covid jab

More than 4,000 children aged between 12 and 15 in Flintshire have now received a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

This represents 50.2% of the 7,960 children in the age group who are eligible for one dose of the Covid vaccine, according to Public Health Wales data published today.

Flintshire has the highest Covid vaccine take-up rate amongst 12-15-year-olds in North Wales, Denbighshire has the lowest with 39.5% receiving a jab.

The average take-up rate amongst 12 to 15 years olds across the whole of Wales is 50.6%, the area with the highest rate is Monmouthshire at 66.5% the lowest is Port Talbot at 18.8%

Covid vaccination clinics across North Wales are now open for young people aged 12-15 to ‘drop in’ without an appointment to receive the first dose.

The drop-in sessions in Flintshire are within Deeside Leisure Centre and take place on Saturdays and Sundays between 9am to 7pm.

Those 12-15-year-olds who have an appointment booked in the coming weeks are invited to attend any of these drop-in clinics if they wish to receive their vaccine sooner.

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

New guidance has been issued which extends the gap of when a young person under the age of 18 years should have the jab after having COVID-19.

The North Wales Health Board said that “In younger people who have recently had COVID-19, protection is likely to be high for a period of months, and vaccination may increase the chance of side effects.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that following COVID-19 infection, vaccination of any dose should ideally be deferred until at least twelve weeks from the onset of symptoms (or their test date if they were asymptomatic).

This new guidance applies to all children and young people under 18 years who are not in at risk groups.

In summary, all individuals below 18 years who are not in at risk groups should receive vaccinations 12 weeks following any COVID-19 infection, or 12 weeks following their last vaccine dose – whichever is most recent.

Healthy under 18s who are not in an at risk group should ideally call us to rebook a first or second dose, if they have had a positive test within the last 12 weeks, and have already received an appointment letter in the post.

To rebook, call our COVID-19 Vaccination Contact Centre telephone number: 03000 840004.

The lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm and Saturday to Sunday, 9am to 2pm.