Extra vaccinations offered to schoolchildren
Children in Wolverhampton who have missed out on any vaccinations due to being absent from school in recent months are being offered the opportunity to attend a series of specially arranged catch-up clinics over the summer months.
Vaccination UK are offering the HPV (human papilloma virus) vaccination to boys and girls in year 8 (ages 12-13) and above, which protects against genital warts and HPV-related cancers such as cervical cancer, cancers of the head and neck and cancers of the genital area.
Also being offered are the Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) vaccine – known as the three-in-one teenage booster – which is the last routine dose that provides young people with long-lasting protection into adulthood.
The Meningococcal (Men ACWY) vaccination for children in year 9 (ages 13-14) and above, which helps protect young people against four types of meningococcal disease which can cause both meningitis and septicaemia, is also being offered.
Any pupils who have not received these vaccinations can attend a catch-up clinic at the Mander Centre Health Hub in Wolverhampton on Thursday July 27 from 9am-2.30pm.
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal (Lab. Heath Town) cabinet member for adults and wellbeing, said: “Vaccination UK has been commissioned by NHS England since 2015 to provide school-aged immunisations to pupils across the Black Country.
“These vaccines offer the best protection for teenagers as they start their journey into adulthood and start mixing more widely – whether going to college, starting work, travelling or going to festivals.
“So – if your child has missed out on their vaccinations, maybe because they were off school or are home-educated, please book an appointment at one of the catch-up clinics being held in the coming weeks,” she added.
There are also clinics at the Dorothy Parkes Centre, Church Road, Smethwick, B67 6EH, on Saturday June 24 from 9am-1.30pm, Aldridge Community Centre, Anchor Meadow, Walsall, WS9 8AN, on Saturday July 8 from 9am-1.30pm and the South and Central Locality Hub, Birchills Street, Walsall, WS2 8NF, on Tuesday August 1, from 9am-3.30pm.
