Essex, 14, one of the country’s first under-16s to be vaccinated

A schoolboy in Essex has become one of the first 12-15 year olds in the country to receive a Covid vaccine as booster vaccines for vulnerable people are also rolled out.

Jack Lane, 14, received his dose of the Pfizer vaccine at Belfairs Academy in Leigh-on-Sea this morning (September 20) as the NHS began rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine to schoolchildren ages 12-15 years.

Around 3 million children in this age group will be offered the vaccine – following a recommendation from the UK’s chief medical officers.

Jacques said : “I’m proud to have been vaccinated so I could stay in school and continue my education – the jab was quick, easy and painless.”

The program divided opinion among parents who questioned the decision to approve the vaccination program for children, after the JVCI (the independent advisory committee on vaccinations) chose not to recommend the vaccine for 12-15 year olds.

There have also been questions about consent – because in some circumstances it may be possible for a child to override their parents’ decision if they disagree on whether or not to take the jab.

Like the flu and HPV vaccines, the Covid-19 vaccines will be administered by the local school-age immunization services (SAIS) who will work closely with schools to identify all eligible children.

Families do not need to contact the NHS to arrange for their child’s vaccine, schools and providers will be in touch.

Dr Nikki Kanani, general practitioner and deputy head of the NHS Covid-19 vaccination program, said: ‘Along with one of our busiest summers, NHS staff have been working closely with schools to ensure they are ready to administer the vaccine to children aged 12-15 who are now eligible.

“The vaccine is safe and effective and I urge families to work closely with their school immunization team to have their loved ones immunized when they are asked to protect themselves and their families before the winter period. “

More than 77 million doses of the vaccine have been delivered to the UK since December last year.

Health and Social Affairs Secretary Sajid Javid said: “It is encouraging to see 12-15 year olds starting to get vaccinated today, which reflects our continued commitment to protect young people from COVID-19 and to minimize any disruption in their education.

“The vaccine made a significant difference in saving lives and reducing transmission, and met the strict standards for safety and efficacy of our renowned drug regulator for people 12 years of age and older.

For those out of school, the government said alternative arrangements would be made to ensure those out of school are vaccinated.