Latest News

Back to News
Latest News

COVID 19 vaccinations for 12 - 15 year olds

As you may have seen in the national press, secondary schools will shortly begin hosting COVID 19 vaccinations for 12 - 15 year olds. Children who are 12 years old and over on the day the School Age Immunisation Service (SAIS) team visits the school, will be offered a vaccination as part of the in-school vaccination programme.

The SAIS will be the primary provider of the vaccination programme for healthy 12 to 15 year olds and will be legally responsible for the delivery of the vaccine. Legal accountability for offering COVID-19 vaccines to children and young people sits with the SAIS and not with the school.

Vaccines will be administered by healthcare staff working closely with the school and following the usual approach to school-based immunisation. The SAIS provider will be contractually responsible for the service, as they are for other school vaccination programmes.  Consent will be sought by the SAIS provider from the parent or person with parental responsibility in the same way as for any other school vaccination programme. A consent form and information leaflet provided by the SAIS team will be used to seek parental consent. Parents will also be provided with a contact number for the SAIS team in case of any queries. Forms should be returned by the deadline agreed with the team.