COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments Available this Half-term
Parents can now book COVID-19 vaccinations at local vaccination centres for their 12-15 year-old children.
The national online and 119 telephone booking service will provide an additional vaccination option for parents, alongside the school-based programme which has already vaccinated nearly half a million young people nationally.
Parents and guardians can now attend vaccination sites with their children if they want them to be vaccinated outside of school hours, with consent being obtained on the day.
Information about the COVID-19 vaccine which is tailored to meet the needs of parents and young people is available on this local NHS website: covid.healthierfuture.org.uk/vaccine-information-for-young-people
Centres with appointments available to book (not open for walk-ins) locally are as follows:
- Hemel Hempstead Hospital, Hillfield Road, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 4AD
- Letchworth Garden City – former Argos Store, Garden Square Shopping Centre, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 3DP
- Stevenage – Robertson House, 6 Six Hills Way, Stevenage, SG1 2FQ
- Watford – Town Hall, Watford. WD17 3EX
- Harlow – LeisureZone, Second Ave, Harlow, CM20 3DT
This route to vaccination will run until at least the end of October. The website covid.healthierfuture.org.uk will be updated with vaccination availability locally.
Over the coming weeks, parents and guardians of children aged 12-15 in Hertfordshire and west Essex will receive letters from the national NHS team, reminding them that the vaccination offer is there for their children.
Dr Rachel Joyce, Director of Clinical and Professional Services for Hertfordshire and west Essex said: ‘As we head into October half-term, I’m really pleased that there are more opportunities for young people to get their vaccinations in our area. I know that lots of parents are keen to get their children vaccinated and some have missed school-based opportunities because of sickness or because they have had to wait for 28 days after testing positive for COVID-19.
‘If you’re unsure about whether vaccination is right for your child, I would strongly encourage you to look at the information on our local website and national NHS websites before making a decision. COVID-19 has already caused considerable disruption and distress to Hertfordshire and west Essex children and families, and vaccination is the most effective protection against the virus.’
Parents or guardians will be able to book their child in for a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine through the online booking service or they can ring 119. The NHS has been vaccinating 16- and 17-year-olds with a single dose since the start of August, with hundreds of thousands already protected.
To find out more about vaccinations in Hertfordshire and west Essex, including advice and information for specific groups, go to this website: covid.healthierfuture.org.uk