Schools schedule children’s Covid vaccinations before they are approved

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Children’s Covid vaccination dates have been set in schools although not yet approved, it has emerged.

Parents said they were “shocked” to receive letters from their children’s schools informing them of the fall’s Covid vaccine schedule for children aged 12 to 15.

Earlier this week, the Covid vaccine was approved for healthy children aged 16 to 17 and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) has not ruled out extending vaccinations for younger children.

Scientific advisors continue to review the evidence for immunizing those 12 to 15 years of age.

But some high schools have already begun preparations to roll out the vaccine to younger children later this year.

John Fernley College, an academic in Leicestershire, wrote to parents this week with a schedule for vaccinating children at eight to eleven at the school. Families were told that the first dose was due in mid-September and the second in early January 2022.

“Following the pandemic and the successful implementation of the Covid-19 vaccination program for adults, we expect a decision from the government if a Covid-19 vaccine will be offered to young people,” the letter reads.

“If confirmed upon return in the fall, the Leicestershire NHS Community Immunization Service expects this to be offered within a school setting during this fall/winter, as a two-dose course.

“So for planning, the NHS Trust in partnership with Leicestershire has been sharing provisional Covid vaccination dates with us for the new school year.”

Leicestershire’s NHS Trust confirmed it had written to all schools in its area “to inform them of our proposed vaccination schedules”.

She said advance preparation helped both schools and the trust with planning, but added that Covid vaccinations in schools would only go ahead if they got permission from the government.

Will my children still be able to go to school if they don’t have them?

One parent whose two children were at John Fernley College said: “I was just shocked that they were even planning dates. It just makes you think this is definitely planned that this is going to happen at some point in the next few months. My main concern is will my kids still be able to go to school if they don’t have them?”

Molly Kingsley, co-founder of parent campaign group UsForThem, said it was “related to” seeing NHS trusts and schools “create an assumption about the JCVI decision”.

“This is wrong for many reasons and not least because it shows that they are putting pressure on the course of action without regard to the medical benefits or risks to the children they are supposed to be in their care,” she added.

The first coronavirus vaccines are now being offered to youngsters aged 16-17, and admission is open to older teens in Northern Ireland from Friday, just two days after an extension was announced for them. Pfizer doses are available at regional vaccination centers and temporary vaccine clinics.

The Leicestershire Partnership, the NHS Trust, said it had for many years vaccinated children at school to protect them from various diseases, including influenza and HPV.

“This year, in addition to our regular vaccination schedule, we have written to schools with tentative dates for Covid-19 vaccinations, highlighting that this will be subject to confirmation of government Covid guidance, to enable all parties to plan as required to ensure the process runs smoothly.

“We will only vaccinate people in the school who are eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine, according to government guidance and timetables.”

John Fernley College declined to comment.

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