We should be vaccinating children and parents

[PicsInRed]

Just that. We have hubs for age groups, we have GP led vaccination for at risk groups (though I know this has been a spectacular failure).

We are about to open schools and chilcare, with the intentional result of fully opening offices to full time work hours again.

Surely it makes sense to operate vaccination drives in schools - for children and parents? Curb the spread through schools - and much through offices - before it happens?

Otherwise, we're going to end up locked down again.

On that note - shouldn't we be vaccinating in-office workers generally?

What is the situation with 2nd jabs?
Will the number of 1st jab appointments available need to reduce, in order to accommodate timely 2nd jabs?

Is that a genuine question? Do you really think that noone has thought about that or planned the system to allocate first and second jabs alongside each other.

I'm beginning to think you might not be entirely genuine

@AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair

What is the situation with 2nd jabs? Will the number of 1st jab appointments available need to reduce, in order to accommodate timely 2nd jabs?

Is that a genuine question? Do you really think that noone has thought about that or planned the system to allocate first and second jabs alongside each other.

I'm beginning to think you might not be entirely genuine

The question is: how many 2nd jabs will be given each day and how much overall capacity is there each day at hubs (staff and delivered vaccine supply), therefore how many new (1st) jabs can be given alongside repeat (2nd) jabs at hubs?

Or is daily capacity going to be boosted?

All the offices? My office has remained closed since March last year, even when schools returned. So have the offices of most people I know. Mine has no plans to open until June at the earliest.

Apparently daily capacity for vaccinations is going to be boosted hugely from March.

@SleepingStandingUp

Parents ARE being vaccinated.

If you have a secondary school child, you're likely to be at least 30 (I am aware you might be 23 but realistically most parents of 11 year olds are 29+). A good swathe will be at least 40. The next two grouped are 40+ and 30+.

If you have a primary aged child you may still be in your 20s but plenty in their 30s and 40s.

You will get done.

Frankly the only people I think need prioritising after G6 is teachers and police officers.

This is where I slightly worry about myself. I am in that anomaly group and won’t be done for several more months. I have children in sixth form and year 10 but still in my 30s. I also work in Early Years and have a BMI in the CV group (but not been weighed at GPs for a few years so they don’t know).

I know the risk is still very low but seeing it in black and white is a bit eek!

Please just stop

There are the 1-9 cohorts, then 10-12

Whilst I do think teachers should be vaccinated as cohort9 it’s not to be

The vaccine isn’t available yet for under 16 and no date has been set for it to be available

It’s been agreed the way it has, just accept it and shut up

the government and sage do appear to be moving towards a model of reducing cases rather than purely hospitalisations

Do they? When was that announced because I seem to have missed it.

Capacity at hubs is colossal now. We have administered 2.4m doses this week and the media is awash with tales of empty hubs and frustrated vaccinators.

@PicsInRed

If we simply aren't going to lock down ever again, I would happily agree that there is no point vaccinating kids and parents before the schools (and by design all the offices) open up again in March. Tiers 3 and 4 need to stay gone also.

The above would be marvellous and I dearly hope that's what happens.

No more lockdown is essentially what Johnson has promised.

I think after viewing another thread on this topic earlier today, people who are clinically vulnerable obviously get vaccine first then the other people most at risk from covid therfore in age descending order.

I dont think the children need it do they?

@Jacketpotato84

I dont think the children need it do they?

Probably not for their own protection medically, but they certainly need to not be locked down again or put in tiers which prevent them going out and seeing friends and family.

I assume the JCVI know what they are doing better than most of us OP. I am confident they have thought it all through.

I think OP is right, you can't get rid of the plague without cleaning up the rats, it's not enough just to treat the people living near to the rats. Yes, children are the rats here lol. We need to not make them available as a reservoir. But age is the right way to go right now to minimise deaths, just it won't be sorted until the amount of virus in circulation drops right down.

The bottom line is that it is of no matter to government if schools need to close due to staff absence, parents have no choice but to suck it up and individual school closures don't reflect badly on government.

Surely after everyone has had the vaccine there will be more of an opportunity for children to see their friends and family. Which theyve been able to do with bubbles and social distancing rules. Children will soon be able to see some of their friends at school. Sorry i dont see your point? Isnt it when the nhs is overwhelmed is when we go into lockdown?

Yes, children are the rats here lol

😂 😂 Our little rat babies, adorable but bitey little mess makers that they are 🐀

Well the GP vaccine roll-out in my area hasn't been a 'spectacular failure'.

@Jacketpotato84

Surely after everyone has had the vaccine there will be more of an opportunity for children to see their friends and family. Which theyve been able to do with bubbles and social distancing rules. Children will soon be able to see some of their friends at school. Sorry i dont see your point? Isnt it when the nhs is overwhelmed is when we go into lockdown?

There is also an underlying concern around new variants - both imported and new home grown - and the impact this might have on vaccine efficacy. Therefore, sage and government are concerned not just with hospitalisations and deaths, but also any spread which may contribute to transmission of e.g. the Brazilian variant or development of a new potentially vaccine threatening variant here in the UK.

That's why continued spread poses a continued risk of school closure and further lockdown.

@user1493494961

Well the GP vaccine roll-out in my area hasn't been a 'spectacular failure'.

I meant in terms of speed of delivery only, due to the time consuming complexity of identifying vulnerable patients from an entire patient book.