First dose of COVID-19 vaccine offered to all young people aged 16 to 17 in England

All young people aged 16 to 17 in England must be offered the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Monday 23 August to give them the life-saving protection provided by the vaccine before returning to school in September, said Health and Social Affairs Secretary Sajid Javid. announced today (August 15).

Tens of thousands of people in this age group have already been vaccinated at local vaccination sites and walk-in centers across the country and the willingness to offer the first vaccine before the new date will enable these adolescents. of this age group the two weeks necessary to build maximum immunity.

NHS England has launched a new online site search engine to help 16 and 17 year olds locate the nearest available center. Other sites will be put online in the days and weeks to come.

People between the ages of 16 and 17 will be able to get vaccinated at one of more than 800 local vaccination sites run by general practitioners. Thousands of people will be invited, including by text and letter, to make an appointment through general practitioners or walk-in centers to help protect them, their families and friends, from the disease. virus.

The vaccines have already saved around 84,600 lives and prevented 23.4 million infections and 66,900 hospitalizations in England through August 6, according to the latest data from Public Health England and the University of Cambridge.

Health and Social Affairs Secretary Sajid Javid said:

“It’s great to see tens of thousands of young people already received their vaccine – thank you for helping to build our wall of defense against COVID-19 further across the country.”

“I have asked the NHS in England to make sure they offer a first dose of the vaccine to every 16 and 17 year old by next Monday August 23, this will ensure that everyone has the opportunity to get vital protection before returning to college or sixth grade. “

“Please don’t delay – get your vaccines as soon as you can so that we can continue to live safely with this virus and enjoy our freedoms by providing you, your family and give your community the protection they need. “

Adolescents within three months of the age of 18 can book their vaccine appointment online through the National Reservation Service or by calling 119. Approximately 100,000 text messages are sent to eligible people inviting them to book their immunizations. jabs.

Children aged 12 to 15 who are clinically vulnerable to COVID-19 or who live with adults who are at increased risk of serious illness from the virus are also contacted by the NHS and urged to be vaccinated by 23 August, before the new school. year.

The young people were very enthusiastic about getting the vaccine and it allowed us to safely enjoy things we missed like going to the pub or seeing family and friends.

Thank you to the NHS and volunteers for your continued dedication to protecting people from this virus. I urge everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible. “

Nadhim Zahawi, Minister for Vaccines, United Kingdom

Data from Public Health England (PHE) shows that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective against hospitalization of the Delta variant (B.1.617.2), the dominant strain in the UK. Analysis shows that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is 96% effective and the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is 92% effective against hospitalization after two doses.

A total of 87,421,381 doses were administered in the UK, with 47,215,352 people receiving a first dose (89.3%) and 40,206,029 people receiving both doses (76%). More than 70% of people aged 18 to 29 have already received their first dose.

The government is working closely with the NHS to make it as easy as possible to get a vaccine, including through ‘grab a jab’ pop-up vaccine sites across the country, such as London nightclub Heaven, as well as football stadiums and festivals across the country.

Advice and information on the benefits of vaccination has been shared at every opportunity, including through a series of partnerships with industries primarily aimed at a younger audience.

This work has included partnering with prominent entertainment and sports figures on short films encouraging people to get the jab, such as movie stars Jim Broadbent and Thandiwe Newton, and football figures Harry Redknapp and Chris. Kamara.

The government has also partnered with dating apps, social media platforms and big companies, such as Uber and Deliveroo, on ads and incentives to get the vaccine.

Dr Nikki Kanani, NHS primary care medical director and deputy director of the vaccination program in England, said:

“Thanks to the dedication and hard work of NHS staff, more than 39 million people in England have already had their first one, including more than a quarter of a million young people under the age of 18.”

“Now that the teens are preparing to go back to school or college or their first full-time job, once again NHS staff are doing all they can to give young people the most vital vaccine quickly possible to protect themselves and others. Those who are eligible should check their nearest walk-in center on the finder site today or book through their GP team when prompted to do so. “

The YouGov poll also shows that the UK continues to be one of the top countries where people are ready to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or have already been vaccinated. ONS data released on August 9 shows that more than 9 in 10 adults (96%) reported feeling positive about the vaccine, and reluctance to vaccinate among those aged 18 to 21 was almost halved from 9% to 5%. Statistics also showed that hesitation decreased for 16 and 17 year olds, from 14% to 11%.

Vaccines are available free of charge and in thousands of vaccination centers, general practitioners’ offices and pharmacies. About 98% of people live within 10 miles of a vaccination center in England and vaccinations take place at sites such as mosques, community centers and football stadiums.