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14 February 2022 |
12-15 year olds encouraged to complete COVID vaccine dosage this half term |
Ensuring children and young people age 12-15 get both doses of their COVID vaccine is an important priority for the NHS. Not only will this help to keep young people healthy and well, making them less likely to miss school, but it will also help protect family members, reducing the spread to loved ones – some of whom may be clinically vulnerable to COVID. Dr Raj Bajwa, Chair of Buckinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group, reminds us: "Most young people experience mild symptoms after a COVID infection, or have no symptoms at all, passing on the virus without knowing. "As ever, this is a real risk for people who might get really sick because they have underlying health conditions that make them more vulnerable. There is also evidence that younger people can experience Long COVID, which causes more health issues and takes longer to recover from. "The latest data shows infection rates in this age group remain high, so helping stop the spread is key to us all staying well this half term." Since October 2021, the School Immunisation Team in Bucks have been vaccinating children aged 12 to 15 in local schools through the existing service that provides other vaccines, such as flu. For most healthy 12-15 year olds, the 2 doses are given a minimum of 12 weeks apart. So, if your child had their first jab in November, they are likely to get the next at another visit to their school in February. The School Immunisation Team will continue these visits throughout the first part of this year and parents may receive notification in advance of this happening from schools. However, for those children not in school during these vaccine visits or who have had COVID-19 and need to wait 12 weeks after symptoms started or after their positive test result, (a 4 week gap if they are assessed to be at high risk) there are other options:
Not every walk-in site can vaccinate 12-15 year olds, but the website shows which ones do, and more sites are added regularly. For a small proportion of 12 to 15 year-olds, the options are different:
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28 January 2022 |
Health on The Move |
The Health on The Move vaccination van is making more stops in Buckinghamshire next week, to bring first, second and booster vaccine doses into the community. Stops are planned at various venues across High Wycombe, Aylesbury and Chesham to make it as convenient as possible for people in the area to take up the offer of a vaccination jab. Although restrictions may be easing, the pandemic is far from over. The Omicron COVID variant is more easily spread than previous versions, so getting a booster is key to staying well and fighting off illness should you catch the virus. And it can also help stop the spread and keep vulnerable people safer from infection. The knock-on effects of an increase in patients to our A&E departments and hospital wards is well documented. Dr Raj Bajwa, GP and NHS Buckinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group Chair, said: "If you have not yet had your booster jab then please don't delay any longer – the vaccination van is the perfect opportunity if you're in the area when it's open." "Anyone who wants to get their first or second dose will also be welcomed at the van and if you're nervous about needles, or have any questions about safety, the vaccinators will be happy to discuss this with you." The vaccination van is able to vaccinate anyone age 16+ and the vaccine onboard all four days will be Pfizer. The van, which is run by Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust will call at:
(Please note – all dates and venues may be subject to last minute scheduling changes, so please check here for any updates (www.buckinghamshireccg.nhs.uk/public/your-services/feeling-unwell/covid-19-vaccination-programme/local-covid-19-vaccination-updates/) You can also book an appointment at a local clinic via the NHS website or call 119 free: Book or manage a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination (www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/) This page will also give you guidance on who is eligible and how long they need between doses. |