School not vaccinating 15 year olds

[Kaftankween]

Today our school invited years 7-10 to consent to vaccination. When we queried this (year 11) we were told the immunisation body had said year 11s could wait to be vaccinated through the public system at 16.

Surely this cannot be right. What about those who are not 16 until next spring/summer? This is the gcse year after all.

Why would all year 7s be invited when most of them won't be eligible as they're still 11, but literally no year 11s?

I've been tearing my hair out trying to get to the bottom of this. School is insisting that the decision is with the immunisation team. The immunisation team just gave an answerphone.

What is the situation for other year 11s?

Both the school I work in and the school my kids go to are offering it to all year 8-11.

One is not offering it to year 7 at all. The other is offering it to year 7 who are 12 before a certain date. Both advise any yr7 who doesn't get it at school to get it from GP practice when they are eligible.

Both schools in different counties which may account for the slight difference in approach.

Given that the year group likely to benefit the most from vaccination out of years 7-11 is year 11, that is the absolutely most ludicrous conceivable stance.

My Y11 DD has brought her consent home today for us to sign. It sounds v odd indeed to be missing Y11 out.

I would be furious about this what if they catch covid just before the start of GCSE exams (this is of course a concern even without vaccinations given isolation requirements)

I am furious. I've spent all day querying it and being fobbed off. I just don't know whether school have messed up (I thought schools were supposed to tell the immunisation team who was eligible) or whether the immunisation team are really taking this stance.

I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall.

@Kaftankween I would suggest contacting your MP. Whoever has made the decision, it does seem to be completely out of step with the policy that 15-year-olds should be offered vaccination. Some Year 11s won't turn 16 until August next year!

I would write to your local authority and the local CCG, both of whom work with the immunisation teams to help deliver this. The LA will obviously have more sway with the school too. You could write to the director of children’s services & also copy in your local councillors (as they can often push issues forward if they want to)

And your MP if you want, though they’re a bit far removed from the local decision making

@Kaftankween

I am furious. I've spent all day querying it and being fobbed off. I just don't know whether school have messed up (I thought schools were supposed to tell the immunisation team who was eligible) or whether the immunisation team are really taking this stance.

I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall.

The decision will more likely have come from the immunisation team than the school, i doubt the school get a say on who is or isnt offered the vaccine all this will be decided with the local CCG/healthcare organisation. The only reason the vaccines are offered through is because its easier to administer to children en masses etc, not so schools can decide who can and can't have a vaccine.

I don't understand why it's not the same in all schools for year 11s though. They're absolutely all eligible for the vaccine so it should be a no brainier.

In answer to Your question OP all Y11s invited at our school.

Yep, it's highly unlikely the school have had any say in this.

How bizarre. Our school have invited year 7-11, and also any yr12 and yr13 who haven’t had it done yet.

How ridiculous! Agree it is not likely to be a schools decision. I would try the immunisation team again. How long before your Son turns 16?

My 15yr old DS (yr11) was vaccinated at school on Monday. Sounds madnesses your end - someone has got something wrong.

It's my DD. Not til next July.

My 15yo was vaccinated in school this week. Year 11.

It should be everyone aged 12-15 on the vaccination date. The school should obtain that list from their database and give it to the immunisation service. The school have no say in who gets it and who doesn't.

But it is the school providing that list. That's the part schools play. Why would they exclude all 15 year olds?

I've written to my MP but will contact the LA and CCG

Our school are offering to all 12-15 year olds. I think someone has got that decision wrong, if your DD isn't 16 until July that's too long to wait.

That makes no sense at all. The 16 year olds in our Y11 are being asked to get their own vaccine, but all 12-15 year olds from Y7 to 11 have been offered the vaccine here.

It’s a shambles! A right mess!! My DD in yr 9 was supposed to have her vaccination yesterday but they didn’t have enough so half her year didn’t get them! Coincidentally she’s come home with a super high temperature so wouldn’t have helped anyway!
Your school are bonkers and that’s wrong. The whole point is to vaccinate now!

My 15 year old, year 11 was vaccinated this week.

I'd be tempted to email her GP - he/she might be prepared to send you an email for walk in or link to book.

Thanks for confirming that this decision is wrong everyone. I’m facing ‘we’re just doing as government advised us’ line. I’ve now messaged MP, council, immunisation team etc. Someone somewhere has messed this up and included year 7 rather than year 11. It doesn’t matter whom I guess, I just want the decision reversed. Not much I can do now until Monday.

Our vaccinations aren't till 2nd November so some pupils have been to have them out of school already because they wanted to be done in time for half term. Could you do that?

Seems like something's gone wrong but you don't have to use the school for vaccine