Single dose Covid Vaccination 16 + 17 year olds

[Runningincircles]

I took my DS (16) to the walk in vaccination centre this morning. He has given the Pfizer vaccine. They said that he will only have a single dose vaccination and that is what the government have put in place for this age group. They also said that the NHS app will recognise his age and show him as fully vaccinated.
This doesn't seem to be the case elsewhere. Have other 16 and 17 year olds been given one dose or two?

JCVI stated that they hadn't decided yet about whether or when to second dose. The concern is that the side effects have shown up after second dose, whereas younger people get much more immunity from the first jab than older people, so the benefit of the first jab is clear but less so the second jab. They'll be checking on immunity, so I wouldn't worry about it just yet.

My 16 year old had his first yesterday and was told that no decision has been made on 2nd doses yet.

If your DC has medical readings to be immunised i.e. CV/CEV, or is a young carer, or is household of CEV, then they receive the normal course of two jabs

Otherwise it's one, pending further announcements

Thanks for all your replies. It is good to know that one dose is standard for his age group.

My DS2, 16 years old, had had 1 shot. My oldest DS(18) is CEV so I’m hoping my DS2 will get a 2nd.

@TwoBlueFish My DH is CEV so we are hoping that DS gets a 2nd shot too.

The UK regulatory approval information for recipients of the Pfizer vaccine still states:

"You will receive 2 injections, given at least 21 days apart.

If you receive one dose of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2, you should receive a second dose of the same vaccine at least 21 days later to complete the vaccination series. Protection against COVID-19 disease may not be maximally effective until at least 7 days after the second dose."

If this has changed for certain age groups this should have been updated.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-approval-of-pfizer-biontech-vaccine-for-covid-19/information-for-uk-recipients-on-pfizerbiontech-covid-19-vaccine#how-covid-19-mrna-vaccine-bnt162b2-is-given.

My DS 17 had his first vaccine last Saturday and has already been given a date for his second.

CEV 16/17yr olds will be given 2 doses as this has already been the case for several months now and most CEV 16/17yr olds will have been double jabbed ages ago when the vaccines were rolled out to group 4 cohorts (with possibly the exception of newly turned CEV 16yo olds) those aged 17yr 9m will also be offered a 2nd dose.
Who knows what that means for those who are 17y 8m or 7m, whether their vaccine status will show fully vaccinated on turning 18 or if they'll be required to have a 2nd dose then, it's not really been made clear thus far

My DS had his Pfizer yesterday. I was surprised he was told that he may not need another one, depending on what JVCI decide. I hadn't realised they might only get one.

My DS17 booked his vaccine today, both doses 8 weeks apart.

www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-issues-updated-advice-on-covid-19-vaccination-of-young-people-aged-16-to-17

Here’s the information for 16 and 17 year olds. One dose for now.

So does anyone know how @TinyCheese and @3kidsandafewcats’s DC have been given appointments for second doses? They or someone in their households must be CEV, or possibly that they must be about to turn 18 (although I don’t know if the system is that ‘clever’)?

@JanglyBeads

So does anyone know how *@TinyCheese and @3kidsandafewcats*’s DC have been given appointments for second doses? They or someone in their households must be CEV, or possibly that they must be about to turn 18 (although I don’t know if the system is that ‘clever’)?

It's possible that they could get turned away at the next appointment if government guidance is still 1 dose. Your right the system isn't that clever I've no idea how we will differentiate between those with CEV family who have been advised 2 doses as opposed to others who don't and only have 1.

@JanglyBeads
My DS was only 17 last month and no one in family is CEV. Maybe his next appointment will get cancelled at some point.

My DS, 16, had his 1st jab yesterday and I can book his 2nd on the national system. There are none near us so I'm holding off for a while

The JCVI needs to make up its mind pretty bloody quickly - plenty of currently17-year olds will soon be 17 and 9 months, or 18. Will they suddenly need a 2nd dose, or have to start again, or still count as fully vaccinated? And how will the rest of the world view them if they travel? How long a gap is too long a gap between dose 1 and dose 2 of a 2-dose vaccination? At this rate, all the faffing could make vaccination less safe for this age group than others, either ending up overdosing or under-dosing them, for no particularly good reason.

Sorry to ask... I can't book in my 16yr old child on the national system... says not eligible... how have your children been offered vax?

We went to a walk-in, DS wasn’t invited as such.

We went to a walk in. Sixth form college emailed a list of places doing them.

@CrumbsThatsQuick

Sorry to ask... I can't book in my 16yr old child on the national system... says not eligible... how have your children been offered vax?

Walk in centre round here, but I had to be proactive and shortlist a few local ones (London) as some places couldn't / wouldn't do it and as you say, you can't book online (or at least you couldn't last weekend)

@Walkaround

The JCVI needs to make up its mind pretty bloody quickly - plenty of currently17-year olds will soon be 17 and 9 months, or 18. Will they suddenly need a 2nd dose, or have to start again, or still count as fully vaccinated? And how will the rest of the world view them if they travel? How long a gap is too long a gap between dose 1 and dose 2 of a 2-dose vaccination? At this rate, all the faffing could make vaccination less safe for this age group than others, either ending up overdosing or under-dosing them, for no particularly good reason.

There isn't "too long" a gap, the risk is whether one dose gives sufficient immunity, but longer gaps seem to give better overall immunity for all the vaccines. Vaccines do not become "less safe", I don't know how you think that happens nor what "less safe" even means exactly. One dose cannot possibly be "ending up overdosing... them", that's illogical. Rest of world vaccination status can't be clear, every country does its own thing. JCVI said they'll count as fully vaccinated here. If one jab gave sufficient immunity, wouldn't you want to avoid a second dose that has higher side effect risks? Personally I'm not sure why they aren't giving a lower dose to younger people to see if that reduces side effects while still getting good immunity, probably that's related to the time needed for trials.

@MRex - so being vaccinated on your 16th birthday and then having a 2nd dose 2 years later is not too long a gap?! Bollocks.

Especially since, in the meantime they are telling 18 year olds and above that the first dose is poor protection from the delta variant. The messaging is a complete mess.

@Walkaround

Especially since, in the meantime they are telling 18 year olds and above that the first dose is poor protection from the delta variant. The messaging is a complete mess.

I agree. I'd like my 16 year old (first jab yesterday) double jabbed. My 18 year old (single jab) tested positive today and we're all now sitting waiting...