What's happening with 16 & 17 year olds?

[ShonkyWonkyDonkey]

I can't find anything definitive online. All I can find is covid vaccines for 18+ and that 12-15 it's not recommended by JCVI. Then flu jab for school age children.
Are the 16 & 17 year olds being left in limbo? I know that 17 year olds will be offered jabs when a few months off of being 18, but I have a 16 year old due to start college who would really like the jab not just to further protect CV parent but also to hopefully keep A-Level learning on track after so much home schooling in the last 16 months.
Have I missed some official guidance for this age group?
It's the same with the flu jab, round here you can pay if 18+ for the jab, otherwise unless it's offered in school the 16/17 year olds don't get offered and GP won't offer it either.

In a lot of countries they are now being prioritised as the Delta variant mainly affects, by definition, the non vaccinated who, by definition, are young.
The UK govt is apparently expected to make a decision over the next few days.

The vaccine sites are allowed to vaccinate them if there is spare vaccine/spare appointments. I know 16-17 year old who have had one dose.
Maybe contact a site and let them know you can take your DC at short notice etc.
Or contact GP and see what they say.
Write to your MP and explain why you think over 12s should receive the vaccine that has been licensed as safe and effective for them.

Pfizer licensed for all 16 year olds and above since the start. For all over 12s since June.
It is perfectly allowed to vaccinate these groups now in order to avoid wasting vaccine.

All the 16 and 17 year olds I know have been vaccinated. Most of the centres will do them

GP has refused 16 year old vaccine and keeps saying they are waiting for JCVI advice. Local vaccine hubs are strictly 18+ round here as well so those options are closed for us.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57885845

Current advice is that 16 to 18-year-olds can be offered a Pfizer jab if they are in a priority group, or live with someone who has a weakened immune system.

If accepted, the new recommendations would extend eligibility to healthy teenagers who are within three months of their 18th birthday, as well as younger vulnerable children and those living with vulnerable adults.

@ShonkyWonkyDonkey

GP has refused 16 year old vaccine and keeps saying they are waiting for JCVI advice. Local vaccine hubs are strictly 18+ round here as well so those options are closed for us.

Same here (N London)

My neighbour is a vaccinator and they are only doing 18+ apart from priority groups. Certainly not the case that 16/17s can get a vaccine round here (Midlands).

It's the same with the flu jab, round here you can pay if 18+ for the jab, otherwise unless it's offered in school the 16/17 year olds don't get offered and GP won't offer it either.

Every year I get told on here that chemists do under 16 they don't here for insurance reasons though many posters think this is wrong and their area does therefore mine must .

So I get stuck waiting and phoning for DS flu jab at GP - he's asthmatic and it's always very late December and a whole lot of hassle before he gets done.

The chemist did say last year 16+ for flu was fine - which I hope is true this year as DD1 now needs flu jab and it will be easier to get her done with me then try and get it done at GP.

The vaccination centers are all 18+ here.

It's on the news now

I'm just wondering why all the conversation seems to be about 12-15 year olds and 18+ The 16/17 year olds seem to be somewhat forgotten for both Covid and flu vaccine.

16&17 yos are only being done if they are CEV, CV, household of severely immune compromised or young carers.

And even then only some centres do them, depending in the qualifications of the medic in charge.

Many more pharmacies will do 16+ for flu jabs than a couple of years ago, but it's still not all (I think they still need an additional paediatric qualification and nit all have them)

OP you are correct. The media does seem to be under the impression that over 16s have all been offered the vaccine. This is probably because the original authorisation was for 16 years old and above, it was just the JCVI that imposed the restriction of 18 years old and above except for CEV and CV 16-17 year olds.
Plus some vaccine sites have gone off-road are inviting 16-17 year olds, although this not covered by the Green Book by JCVI unless to avoid vaccine wastage.

Re. flu. Many pharmacies only do over 18s due to training/insurance. But you can get it privately for not much more as many private providers have the training/insurance for vaccinating under 18s e.g. for travel vaccinations, single jab MMR etc.

Btw I think the JCVI are very wrong and there will be a huge backlash in September when schools go back and everyone wonders why the only group unvaccinated and still subject to restrictions are under 18s.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000y49w

More or Less seem to think there may be a supply issue with vaccines before September hence not doing all 16-17 year olds before then - it was right at the end of their most recent program.

I think it is such a shame they are not being given the option to choose for themselves. More worried about the chances of long covid as have seen how it has had such a negative impact on people I know. Teen is, by choice doing less than they could due to their own concerns surrounding covid so not out and about as much as they would usually be in a summer holiday which is such a shame to see after being locked away best part of 18 months!

If they're going to do more 16+ than the current groups, it would make sense to start doing so no later than mid August (earlier in Scotland) so that the first jab will have taken full effect before schools are back. It would make Sixth Forms (in school and separate colleges) considerably safer.

GPs have been vaccinating 16+ if cv or living in a cev household for months. It's now been extended to 12+

@nether

If they're going to do more 16+ than the current groups, it would make sense to start doing so no later than mid August (earlier in Scotland) so that the first jab will have taken full effect before schools are back. It would make Sixth Forms (in school and separate colleges) considerably safer.

I completely agree!

@gogohm

GPs have been vaccinating 16+ if cv or living in a cev household for months. It's now been extended to 12+

But still not available for those living in a CV household!

My daughters friends had hers saying she helps look after grandparents and she 17. In the North West.

Sal