Hello, I'm Dr Ellie Cannon. I'm an NHS GP and I'm here to
answer your questions about the COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 12 to 15.
I don’t think coronavirus poses enough of a risk to my child, so why do they need a vaccine?
COVID-19 is usually mild in most children, but it can make some children unwell.
One dose of a vaccine gives good protection against your child getting seriously ill.
Vaccinating 12 to 15 year old’s protect young people from coronavirus (COVID-19) and reduces
the disruption to their school life, which is good for their wellbeing and mental health
The vaccine also protects family and friends, as a young person who contracts
Covid may often not have any symptoms, so they can infect others without realising.
What are the risks if my child gets the vaccine? I’m worried about potential side effects
The vaccine has been given to millions of 12-15 year olds in a number of countries,
including 8 million in the US. Data from these countries shows that the vaccine has a good
safety record. Reports of serious side effects are very rare and the percentage of side
effects is small compared with the greater risk of illness from contracting COVID-19.
Like all medicines, the COVID-19 vaccines can cause side effects, but not everyone gets them.
Most side effects are mild and should only last 1 or 2 days, and can include a sore arm
from the injection, feeling tired, a headache and flu-like symptoms including shivering (chills).
After having the vaccine you can give your child paracetamol to help make them feel
better if they are feeling unwell. There have been rare cases of inflammation of
the heart, also known as myocarditis, reported after COVID-19 vaccination.
Most people who had this recovered following rest and simple treatments.
Is it safe? The production and safety checks seemed rushed through.
The approved COVID-19 vaccines have been tested on
thousands of people in the UK and around the world, including children.
There has been a huge global effort made to produce the vaccine quickly and safely. Due
to the vaccine being created in a pandemic, the process has been much faster compared
with other vaccines that may take years due to slower funding for research and other factors.
All vaccines used in the UK must be approved
by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
The MHRA makes sure the vaccines meet strict
international standards for safety, quality and effectiveness. Once a vaccine is approved,
it's closely monitored to continue to make sure it is safe and effective.
The four Chief Medical Officers all agreed to recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for children
aged between 12-15. Children will be offered a 1st dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has been given to millions of people in the UK
and it has an excellent safety record.
My child has had Covid, do they still need to get the Vaccine?
Even if you’ve had COVID-19, there is still a risk that you can have it again.
Having the vaccine may help reduce the severity
of COVID-19 symptoms if caught again, or of infecting others.
How does my child get the vaccine? 12-15 year old’s are being offered
a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine through a school-based vaccination programme. This is a
well-established process, exactly the same as other similar programmes. The vaccine
is administered by the school-age immunisation service provider, working closely with the school.
The school-based vaccination offer will continue to roll out in schools over the autumn. Alongside
this, an increasing number of vaccination sites will begin offering 12-15 year old’s vaccines
over the coming weeks, including GP surgeries, community pharmacies and centres and other
convenient local sites. 12-15 year old’s can book online using the National Booking Service (NBS).
All parents, or those with parental responsibility,
will be asked for consent and will usually make this decision jointly with their children.
Find out more about the COVID-19 vaccine for children at www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccine-children