Young people – who’ve missed out on so much over the past 18 months – are being offered their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves and the wider community from the virus. With last winter disrupted by lockdown, and young people missing so much school, college, time with friends and seeing grandparents, getting the vaccine will help make sure this year is a whole lot better.
Not only does the vaccine protect young people against serious illness – almost 75 percent of Covid patients admitted to hospital are unvaccinated – it also means they’re less likely to spread the virus to elderly family members.
No more FOMO
We’ve come a long way with the vaccination programme since those dark days of last winter. The Covid-19 vaccine has already saved more than 100,000 lives and prevented 24 million infections.
Jabs are now being rolled out for the 12-15 age group, and more than 50 percent of 16-17-year-olds have already had theirs. And getting the jab couldn’t be easier: schools and colleges are offering it through their immunisation programmes, while older teenagers can make an appointment through the online booking service at nhs.uk/covidvaccination.
If you’re a parent or guardian of a 12-15-year-old, schools will ask for your consent before they receive the vaccine, and you can help 16-17-year-olds book their dose online. Then it’s one less thing for you to worry about – and they won’t need to worry about missing out on all those good times with family and friends.
Read More: ‘It’s incredibly safe’ – everything you need to know about vaccines for children