'Long way to go' for vaccinating youngsters with only one fifth jabbed
Just a fifth of children have been vaccinated against Covid-19 as health chiefs have warned there is still a long way to go.
In the latest figures released by NHS England, it has been revealed that an average of 20 percent of 12 to 15-year-olds across the Black Country and Staffordshire have received a single dose of the coronavirus jab.
This has prompted health chiefs to urge all eligible youngsters to get vaccinated in order to protect themselves and their friends and family against the virus. Figures up to November 9 show that 16 per cent of children aged 12-15 have been jabbed in Wolverhampton. In Walsall it’s 28 per cent, Sandwell is 19 per cent, and Dudley is 22 per cent. In Sandwell, Dr Lisa McNally criticised anti-vaxxers who were trying to scare young people away from the jab.
She said: “Some anti-vaccination campaigners have been trying to scare young people and parents into refusing vaccination.
“Their efforts have even extended to confronting young people outside of their schools with misinformation. It’s important that we don’t allow them to manipulate us into missing out on vaccination and the chance to protect our community.” Wolverhampton’s director of public health John Denley said it was important for children to get vaccinated to reduce school transmission.
He said: “We have been working closely with schools and health partners to co-ordinate the vaccine programme and ensure that all eligible 12 to 15-year-olds in Wolverhampton are offered the chance to have their Covid-19 vaccination.
“Uptake among 12 to 15-year-olds in school is averaging around 20 percent, though A number of schools in Wolverhampton are still to be visited and therefore the total number of vaccinations delivered will increase further over the next few weeks.”
Walsall’s director of public health Stephen Gunther said the programme had been progressing well, but said there was a long way to go for all ages to get vaccinated.
He said: “The Covid-19 vaccination programme for 12 to 15-year-olds in Walsall is progressing well, with 27.8 percent being vaccinated so far.
“We’ve responded quickly to deliver vaccinations both within schools and outside schools by setting up the Saddlers Vaccination Centre.
“However, there is still some way to go across all ages in the borough with 77.1 percent of residents in total having had their first dose.”
Dudley Council’s cabinet member for health and adult social care, Councillor Nicolas Barlow, cabinet for health and adult social care, said he would urge anyone eligible in the younger population to get vaccinated. He said: ““Vaccination is a really important part of our approach to keeping our children in school and preventing transmission in our families and community.
“Although Covid rates are coming down, this is from a really high level and therefore taking all measures that we can is vital.
“Vaccination not only protects the individual but also halves the risks of the virus being passed on in households.”
Meanwhile,In Staffordshire, an average of 28 percent of 12 to 15-year-olds have received a vaccination jab, with 42 percent recorded in Stafford.
