All young people aged 16-17 are now eligible for a vaccine as part of the largest immunisation programme the NHS has ever seen. Other groups also eligible are children aged 12-15 who are at increased risk of serious illness from COVID infection or are household contacts of individuals (adults or children) who are immunosuppressed.
The majority of the 16-17 cohort will initially receive a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine as recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. However, evidence has shown that just one dose of the Pfizer vaccine gives this age group around 80% protection from serious illness and hospitalisation from COVID. Further guidance about any planned second doses for this age group is likely to be published in the coming months.
It is important to note that 16-17 year olds who work in health and care settings will still need two doses of Pfizer in line with previous guidance and it is important that they are fully vaccinated by 11 November in order to keep working in these settings.
All drop in clinic information will continue to be updated online here as new dates and times are confirmed for 16 and 17 year olds: http://www.norfolkandwaveneyccg.nhs.uk/covid/children-and-young-people-12-17-years-covid-19-vaccination
The Norfolk and Waveney health and care system continues to perform strongly in the national vaccination programme roll out, and according to NHS England data published today is ranked fourth out of 42 health and care systems nationwide for the number of people having had both doses of vaccine.
Thanks to the ongoing participation of local people, 92% of the Norfolk and Waveney population aged 18+ now have at least one vaccine - and 80% have had both doses.
Almost 1.5 million doses of vaccine have been given across Norfolk and Waveney, with more than 18,500 of these in the previous week (to Sunday 8 August). Of these, 2,500 were first doses and 16,000 were second doses.
In Great Yarmouth, 72,592 people have had a first dose, and 63,979 people have received their second dose. In total, 136,571 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered since the beginning of the vaccination programme.
Further information about the local vaccination programme, including information in languages others than English, can be found here: https://norfolkandwaveneyccg.nhs.uk/covid/covid-vaccinations
Getting the vaccine is the single most important step we can take to protect ourselves, our families and our communities against COVID-19. If you have yet to receive your first dose, and you are eligible, go get jabbed!!
