80 young teens have covid vaccines on first day

Tuesday 28 September 2021

Around 80 young people aged between 12 and 15 years old had their covid vaccinations yesterday.

The programme for the age group began yesterday, as part of the Government's wider winter vaccination plan.

The winter vaccination programme offers children in the age range a a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine, with parental consent.

The vaccine is then administered with a parent present in a designated area of the Fort Regent Vaccination Centre.

Pictured: Vaccinations for 12 to 15-year-olds started at Fort Regent yesterday.

Where a child wants the vaccine but their parent does not want them to get it, the Government said that it will work with healthcare professionals and the parents to ensure informed consent is given on a case-by-case basis.

Though young people are not at significant clinical risk from covid, the Government said it was giving the vaccinations to help reduce disruption to education and take into account the mental health and wellbeing of young people who have been isolated away from friends and outside activities.

They will currently only be offered one dose of the vaccine, with officials saying they are awaiting a decision from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation  on whether to give a second dose.

Last week, a Guernsey A&E doctor resigned over the decision to vaccinate the age group, and alleged that he had been threatened with disciplinary action for “just asking a few questions" about the decision-making process.