As the autumn Covid-19 vaccination campaign races forwards in Lincolnshire, parents and guardians of under 18s who are eligible to be vaccinated are being encouraged to book an appointment.
To-date nearly 100,000 autumn Covid-19 vaccinations and more than 150,000 flu vaccinations have been given by vaccination teams around the county.
Whilst uptake figures amongst people aged 65 years and over are very good for both Covid-19 and flu vaccinations, there is one group eligible for the autumn Covid-19 vaccination where the uptake is not as high as would be liked at this stage of the campaign.
“Amongst 5-11 year-olds just six percent of eligible children have had their autumn Covid-19 vaccination,” comments Steve Clapton, Lincolnshire Covid Programme Lead, NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board. “Looking at under 18s as a whole, just four percent of eligible children have had their Covid-19 vaccination.”
The total number of under 18s eligible for an autumn Covid-19 vaccination in Lincolnshire is only around 1,900. They are eligible because they are considered to be in a clinical risk group and so potentially at greater risk from Covid-19. Find out more at https://www.nhs.uk/COVIDVaccination.
“There are a number of different clinical risk groups and amongst them are children who have a chronic respiratory disease, such as cystic fibrosis, children with congenital heart disease, those with chronic kidney, liver or endocrine conditions such as diabetes, and children who are immunosuppressed,” explains Steve.
“These are just a few examples of the conditions that would class someone as at risk, but the key thing to remember is that having one or more of these conditions could put you at greater risk of being seriously ill or hospitalised as a result of having Covid-19, so we would urge you to consider getting your child vaccinated if they are considered at risk.”
How to get your Covid-19 vaccination appointment in Lincolnshire:
Parents and guardians of children eligible for a Covid-19 vaccination can book an appointment by calling 01522 301980. This is specifically for appointments for under 18s.
For more information on the autumn Covid-19 vaccination campaign in Lincolnshire, visit our Grab a Jab page.