Dear Parent /carer

Re: Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination appointment for your child (12-15 years)

If your child has not yet been vaccinated but you would like them to be, please note you can now book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment for your child on the NHS website or by calling 119.

Here you can choose where your child receives the vaccine.

Venues on the Fylde Coast are:

  • Whiteholme Youth and Community Centre, All Saints Road, Bispham,

Blackpool FY5 3AL.

  • Moor Park Health Centre, Bristol Avenue, Bispham, Blackpool FY2 0JG
  • Kirkham and Wesham Cricket Club, Wellington St, Kirkham, Preston PR4 2JN

In addition –

12–15-year-olds can get their COVID-19 vaccine outside of school, at Houndshill Community Testing Hub. The COVID-19 vaccination will help protect them, the rest of the family and vulnerable people in the community. Simply walk-in, no appointment needed. A parent/official carer must be in attendance.

The friendly team are on hand to answer any questions or talk through any concerns you may have. If you’re undecided and would like some advice – feel free to pop in for a chat, no pressure!

Details: Sunday’s ONLY between now and Christmas; 10.00am and 4.00pm at the Community Testing Hub, Hounds Hill (opp rear entrance to M&S) Victoria Street, FY1 4RJ

Requirements

  • You do not need to book to attend a pop-up site – you can just drop in
  • Please wear a face covering when attending
  • Keep a distance from others when queuing
  • Bring your NHS number if you have it, but it’s not essential

Please note 12-15 year olds need to wait 12 weeks after having a positive COVID-19 test before being vaccinated.

Why your child should be vaccinated

Getting the vaccine will help to protect children and young people against COVID-19. While most children usually have mild illness, they can pass on their infection to others in their family and those they come into contact with. Getting vaccinated will also help to reduce the chance of disruption to their education from COVID-19. This is an important decision and further information is supplied with this letter to help you make an informed decision.

About the COVID-19 vaccine

Your child needs to have just one dose of the vaccine for now. We expect they will also need to have a second dose, however we are awaiting guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on the timing of the second dose, and we will contact you when it is time for them to have it.

Some children have been identified as being at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 infection and require two doses of the vaccine, for example those who have underlying health conditions or who are living with someone who is immunosuppressed or they have profound and multiple learning disabilities.

If you believe your child is in one of these groups, you should have been contacted by your local GP services to have the vaccine. However, you can now also choose to book an appointment at a vaccination site for a first dose. Please do take into consideration that some vaccine sites are different to local GP services and they may not be a suitable alternative for every child. You can book the appointment by following the guidance in this letter.

Very few people cannot have this vaccine. If your child has had bad allergic reactions in the past, it is important that you read all the guidance. You can also discuss it with a health professional when you take your child for their appointment.

The vaccine is only available from the NHS and is free of charge. The NHS will never ask you for your bank account details or to pay for the vaccine.

Pre-screening checklist

As part of the process your child will be taken through a set of screening questions. These are designed to pick up any conditions that may need special consideration by the vaccinator. Before taking your child for the vaccine it would be helpful to consider what is likely to be asked, especially if you do not plan to attend with your child. To help you, a set of pre-screening questions is available online at bit.ly/vaccine-checklist

Consent    

Consent is an important part of the process. It is important that parents and children discuss the information and come to a decision together. You are invited to accompany your child and will be given the opportunity to ask questions prior to asking for your consent and for your child’s consent. You can view a consent form to help your discussion but as consent will be obtained on the day it is not necessary to print and sign in advance. The form is available online at bit.ly/CYP-COVID-consent.

Your child may have the right to get vaccinated without your consent. These are very unusual circumstances and are based on an individual assessment. This can only be determined by the nurse or doctor at the time. However, we would prefer, if possible, for you to come to a decision jointly with your child. Further information on consent is available at www.nhs.uk/conditions/consent-to-treatment/children

How to book your child’s vaccination

This letter shows you how to book your child’s appointment in a larger vaccination centre if that is your preference. To avoid disruption to your child’s education you should aim to book your appointment outside school hours.

To book online:

  • Visit www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination

To book on the phone:

  • If you cannot book your appointment online, call 119 free of charge, 7am to 11pm, 7 days a week. You can ask someone else to do this for you. Please let us know if you need an interpreter.
  • You can use text phone 18001 119 or the NHS British Sign Language interpreter service at www.interpreternow.co.uk/nhs119

If you can’t get a convenient appointment at first using the details in this letter, please try again later as more booking slots may become available.

If you need advice regarding local public transport for Blackpool please use the link below:

Blackpool Final Proof (blackpooltransport.com)

 

Yours sincerely

School Age Vaccination & Immunisation Team

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

St Annes Primary Care Centre

Durham Avenue

St Annes

FY8 2EP