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Are 16/17 yr old considered fully vaccinated?

35 replies

WhatALump · 09/09/2021 09:52

Planning for a trip and I’m trying to work out if my DD17 who has had one dose of the vaccine is considered fully vaccinated or do I need to book her a fit to fly test. I can’t find a clear answer online!

OP posts:
MrsWorriedMother · 09/09/2021 09:56

No I would say fully vaccinated is two doses

dementedpixie · 09/09/2021 10:03

Fully vaccinated is 2 weeks after your 2nd dose

EileenGC · 09/09/2021 10:18

For EU? No, fully vaccinated means two doses + 14 days.

My 16yo sibling (in Europe) will soon have their second dose and they’re not considered fully vaccinated yet.

bestbeforedateexpired · 09/09/2021 10:18

26.How many doses of the COVID-19 vaccination should 16-17¾ year olds be
offered?
At this time, JCVI advises that 16-17 year olds should be offered a first dose. This is in
addition to the existing offer of 2 doses of vaccine to 16 to 17 year olds who are in “at
risk” groups. Pending further evidence on effectiveness and safety in this age group, a
second vaccine dose is anticipated to be offered later to increase the level of
protection and contribute towards longer term protection. Further data and the
potential availability of alternative vaccine options will inform exact details, which will
be provide in a subsequent update before second doses are due at approximately 12
weeks after the first dose.
Young people who are called as part of the 16-17 year old programme and receive
their first dose above the age of 17 years and 40 weeks may be scheduled to receive
their second dose after an interval of at least 8 weeks, as part of the “turning 18
programme”.
27.What safeguards should sites put in place to ensure that 16-17¾ year olds
receive the correct number of doses as recommended by JCVI?
• The JCVI recommendation has been made on risks and benefits to the individual.
JCVI will be reviewing the advice on second doses for healthy 16-17 year olds and
further information will be shared with sites when available.
• Sites must check an individual’s age and eligibility to receive a second dose of the
COVID-19 vaccine in line with JCVI guidance before administering a second dose.

WhatALump · 09/09/2021 10:53

I’ll go with no then even though 16-17.5 yr olds only being offered one dose?

OP posts:
Geamhradh · 09/09/2021 12:41

If you're going abroad you will probably also need tests anyway as many countries ask for testing even if fully vaccinated.

Revengeofthepangolins · 09/09/2021 13:14

There isn't any "go with". It is simply factual. They do not count as fully vaccinated. What they have or haven't been offered is irrelevant.

Blubells · 09/09/2021 16:40

Fully vaccinated (in the EU) is two weeks after second dose!

SilverGlitterBaubles · 09/09/2021 17:09

Bonkers not to have clear guidance on this yet, so what if they decide on just one dose and leave a very long gap between this and the second dose. Also lots of teens about to turn 18 will not be eligible which seems completely pointless.

RoseWineTime · 09/09/2021 18:14

17 year olds within 3 months of their 18th birthday can have a second jab.

cherin · 09/09/2021 18:22

I think your question has two answers:
For the purpose of entering another country, most EU countries will NOT considering your kid fully vaccinated, but you should check the rule of the individual country (some EU like Croatia for instance will allow them as vaccinated with one dose only, as long as there’s a certain number of days, don’t understand why). reopen.europa.eu/en Is the best source of info I have found

For the purpose of coming back to the U.K., and how many PCRs are needed, I don’t think it matters if the country you’re flying from is green. It’d be still one rapid test before departure and one PCR on day2. If it’s not green…I don’t know :-(

SilverGlitterBaubles · 10/09/2021 22:16

@RoseWineTime

17 year olds within 3 months of their 18th birthday can have a second jab.
I am not certain that this is the case with those who had their first jab under the 16/17 group. I know some young people have been told there is no plan for their 2nd dose. Those that are due to turn 18 soon seem to be in limbo.
Watapalava · 10/09/2021 22:22

No 16/17 will never be considered fully vaccinated under current one jab rule

Not much benefit really as I was only wanting it for ease of travel

RoseWineTime · 11/09/2021 08:47

My 17 year old has her second dose booked. She turns 18 in November.

WombatChocolate · 11/09/2021 09:00

In that guidance, it says a decision about 2nd doses will be made before they are due (if I’m reading it correctly).
So the question is, does anyone have a 16/17 year old who isn’t within 3 months of 18, who has reached or is close to the 12 week mark? I can’t quite remember when these started. I read the info as the gov was just giving itself several more weeks to decide what to do, however, it really wa wonky a few weeks, because by the time they reach 12 weeks, it needs to have been made clear if they would have 2nd dose (which always sounded like it was very likely)

Does anyone else read it like that, or understand the document differently?

nancy75 · 11/09/2021 09:03

My Dd is just 16, had her first jab in August & the NHS website let me book her 2nd for mid October (8 weeks after 1st)
I wish they would just make up their minds & be clear

ByThePool2021 · 11/09/2021 09:18

Dd(17) had her first jab in august. She is currently only being offered one jab (18 in January) but she has tickets to a concert in November that will require the covid passport and being fully jabbed. So wtf does she do? She’s fully jabbed for her age group but not classed as fully jabbed and I can’t seem to find any advice about it online.
It seems very messy imo. So we are just hoping there is a walk in and she can get the second jab before the concert.

WombatChocolate · 11/09/2021 09:54

From reading the info copied from the NHS England document above (point 26) I understand that it is expected they WILL be offered a 2nd jab and that decision will be made before 12 weeks.

I guess, no healthy 16/17s (who are further than 3 months from 18) have had the first jab longer ago than about 4/5 weeks. That means there are still several weeks before the final decision has to be made. It will have given the JCVI another 6-8 weeks of evidence to base the decision on. I understand it as they expect to give the 2nd jab, and evidence thus far supports it, but as it is from a limited timescale, only making the decision when it can no longer be delayed, means they have more evidence.

I’m surprised someone has been able to book their child’s 2nd jab already, especially for the 8 week point in early Oct. It could well be that the formal decision hasn’t been made by then….but perhaps it will have been. As the first kids to have been jabbed approach the 12 mark point, that will be the time the decision is made. In all liklihood, unless sudden new info emerges, they will be getting the 2nd jab.

So for travel, concerts etc, I’d expect 16s and 17s will be double jabbed and as long as they are 2 weeks past that 2nd jab, will be able to have the passport/ be eligible for things that require 2 jabs.

I’m only guessing but I think that announcement will be sometime in October.

I think they like to time these announcements and not have too much going on at once. Next week, we are looking at probably seeing decisions about the start of booster jabs (I was called to book my flu jab for Oct and also asked if I’d take the Covid booster at the same time, if it had been approved and supply was available …they are working onthe basis it will be, and booking) and also the issue of jabs for 12-15s. They will be hoping that by the time these announcements are made or the programmes actually start most 16-17s will have had 1st jabs.

nancy75 · 11/09/2021 09:58

I was surprised it let me book, first jab was at walk-in, just looked out of interest to see if it would offer her a second on the website (it says second jab & offered exactly 8 weeks from the first, so it knows it’s the second one & has her age)

nancy75 · 11/09/2021 10:01

Just looked at the text from the NHS first jab given 16aug & I booked 2nd on 19th Aug for jab on 16 October.

BungleandGeorge · 11/09/2021 10:05

I got the impression that they won’t be given two because it increases the risk of myocarditis but who knows! I agree it’s really inconvenient for travel as it will totally preclude them travelling some places. As far as vaccines e passports in this country they can make their own rules so could be that it will not apply to under 18s

WombatChocolate · 11/09/2021 10:15

Nancy, it could be that by then, the decision has been made about 2nd jabs.

If not, I’d be surprised if that booked jab goes ahead…..surely someone in an age group which hasn’t been approved for a 2nd vaccine won’t be able to turn up and receive it..l.even if the system did allow the booking .

Would be interested to know if anyone who has a 16 year old who has been jabbed in September can also access the national booking system and book a 2nd jab, or if this is a loophole which has since been closed.

WombatChocolate · 11/09/2021 10:20

I thought the risk of myocarditis was stronger in younger teens. I think 60 in 1 million boys developed it and 8 in 1 million girls, after a 2nd jab. Was also the case that for healthy children, the myocarditis was mild with quick recovery in majority of cases. Those who had more severe reactions, already had other health conditions.

I’m sure they are gathering more evidence every week and by the time they have to reach a decision to make the 12 week window, they will have gathered another 8 weeks or so of info.

When they make that decision next week about 12-15s, if the jab is offered (likely I think, but only guessing) then again it will probably just be that 1st dose, probably with a view to reviewing and deciding about 2nd doses a few weeks down the line again.

I do think 2nd jabs will be approved for anyone approved for 1. This is already the case for children 12-15 with other conditions.

nancy75 · 11/09/2021 10:23

Yes, we’ll see. The date it gave me is the first day of half term so I booked thinking it’s a good time to have it in case she feels unwell after & won’t need to worry about time off school.
We’re not going anywhere to ‘need’ the 2nd jab so if it’s cancelled it’s not a big deal for us (although I would like her to be fully jabbed ASAP now she’s back at school)