Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Take up of vaccine in 12-15 yo is as low as 10%

184 replies

Mellowfruitfulnessy · 18/10/2021 12:47

Guardian story on the low take-up of vaccines in teens.

I had wondered if this issue would arise. All the (normally intelligent) teens I know are really anti-vax. Strong belief it renders you infertile. I guess a lot of this must be social media influencing.

Hardly anyone showed up for the vax clinic at dc school. In the end they made all the teens talk to the nurse but the take up was almost zero. This must be happening elsewhere too. Any other experiences? It’s really worrying and I don’t know how it will be addressed. I also wonder how it will impact families wanting to travel abroad next year.

OP posts:
HSHorror · 18/10/2021 19:44

Well the top sets may also be concerned about missing 10d of school.

Im sure it'll be more like 50%.
It's definitely needed as it's currently ripping through primary round here.

Need to be able to do a term without having to have covid tests.
It doesnt help kids clubs have gone back and parties etc with no mitigations including having parents in the room.

1/14 kids infected and i think highest daily case yesterday in the world.

Starlightstarbright1 · 18/10/2021 20:06

Ours is Wednesday but i have not consented no idea what uptake will be

Underhisi · 18/10/2021 20:25

Ds won't be able to have his until the end of the month and he is CV so there must be lots of teens not offered it yet.

ChloeDecker · 18/10/2021 20:35

We haven’t even been told when our vaccines at our school will be! If it’s anything like the poor organisation of the flu vaccines (not my school’s fault) two weeks ago, that probably explains why.

RocioMartinez · 18/10/2021 20:38

I'm getting really frustrated with this news story. As far as I can tell it has absolutely nothing to do with consent and everything to do with the fact that very few local authorities have managed to offer the vaccine to more than a handful of schools. Where I am, I don't know of any (state) schools that have managed to offer the vaccine to this age group. I was asked to complete a consent form this week but no indication of when the vaccine will be offered. Several schools now have outbreaks which will also impact take-up rates over the next couple of months.

Let 12-15 year olds use walk-in centres and I am pretty sure that % will rise. Many European countries managed to double jab their secondary school age children before the start of the Autumn term and this is reflected in their infection rates.

I wouldn't be surprised if some countries start asking for proof of vaccination in this age group before allowing them into the country.

Abraxan · 18/10/2021 20:59

The guardian article is quite misleading.

Not all schools have yet offered the vaccine.
It's had to be postponed in many schools due to staff absences within the vaccination team, or due to the high levels of pupil absences due to covid.

The younger teens I know who have had the chance to have it have all had one vaccine so far. Most are keen for jab 2 as well, as the lack of full vaccination is meaning extra covid tests for their half term and proposed winter holidays abroad.

Popfan · 18/10/2021 20:59

My DS missed his at school last week as the nurses ran out of time. However, I have just had an email to book him into a clinic which I have done. So it seems they are widening the offer.

Madcats · 18/10/2021 21:12

DD's school was supposed to have been visited a fortnight ago by the vaccine team. They cancelled and now HOPE to visit by the end of November.

We are one of those areas with the "false negative" Covid PCR tests so it hasn't been unusual for 20% of a class (years 8-10) to be off sick.

Yes our vaccine rate for 12-15's is at 10% (2.5 points of which have been delivered since the vaccines were going to be rolled out 3 weeks ago).

Infections are now moving up and down the age groups.

A complete triumph before half term!

On the plus side, the virus does seem to calm down after hitting about 20% of a class.

MillyMollyMardy · 18/10/2021 21:32

Hmm, my son had his today, the uptake must have been high as they only got a third of the school done. I think the low vaccination rate for this age group is mostly it hasn't been offered yet.
There was very little notice, lots of people missed the consent forms and quite a lot of the kids have had Covid in the last 28 days but they still vaccinated a huge number of them.

herecomesthsun · 18/10/2021 21:37

@RocioMartinez

I'm getting really frustrated with this news story. As far as I can tell it has absolutely nothing to do with consent and everything to do with the fact that very few local authorities have managed to offer the vaccine to more than a handful of schools. Where I am, I don't know of any (state) schools that have managed to offer the vaccine to this age group. I was asked to complete a consent form this week but no indication of when the vaccine will be offered. Several schools now have outbreaks which will also impact take-up rates over the next couple of months.

Let 12-15 year olds use walk-in centres and I am pretty sure that % will rise. Many European countries managed to double jab their secondary school age children before the start of the Autumn term and this is reflected in their infection rates.

I wouldn't be surprised if some countries start asking for proof of vaccination in this age group before allowing them into the country.

Some countries are already insisting on 2 jabs for 12+
Stopsnowing · 18/10/2021 21:39

School originally said they were not doing it. Gp said go to school. School eventually said they would do it. Lots of confusion around consent ie who has last say, parent or child. By time nurses came in a lot of children off with covid. Confusion as to why only one jab. So a lot of the mess is down to how it has been rolled out.

sleepwouldbenice · 18/10/2021 21:44

As others have said, “ take up” of the vaccine implies you’ve been offered it
Not been offered yet at our school
Now DD has had covid, so she now has to wait as well for more weeks to pass
It’s been evidenced that covid followed by vaccines in adults provides higher level of protection…..so maybe this mad approach will work out in the end!

I am sure those two reasons account for lots of the figures

Madcats · 18/10/2021 22:27

Admittedly I am on the older side of parenting a teen awaiting a jab, but DH and I were 2nd jabbed en masse in May so would expect to be offered a booster in November (when they should be jabbing all those teens they dithered about vaccinating over the summer).

Surely SOMEONE did a bit of critical path analysis (even if was with a couple of crayons on a mat in the pub)?

Iggly · 18/10/2021 22:28

Surely SOMEONE did a bit of critical path analysis (even if was with a couple of crayons on a mat in the pub)?

It reminds of last September when Dido Harding, head of test and trace was “surprised” that there was an increase in testing due to schools being back.

Fucking amateurs

FrangipaniBlue · 18/10/2021 22:48

It was on my local radio station that "take up" in our county was low.

They failed to mention that's it's not actually being rolled out in the majority of schools until after half term.

I suspect this is true nationwide, false reporting IMO.

MsFogi · 18/10/2021 22:53

I think the issue is that there isn't any upside - for the purposes of travel one jab is treated as unvaccinated so what's the point of getting one jab??

Pinkyxx · 19/10/2021 07:56

I'd say that's representative at least it is of my daughter's school who had the vaccinations last week. My daughter tells me the majority of children were not vaccinated.. Some didn't get it because they've had Covid in the last 28 days but the majority didn't because parents simply did not consent. Real shame, as cases are increasing every week, more than 10% have Covid at any one time. PHE however are not concerned so that's alright then...

Iggly · 19/10/2021 08:08

@Pinkyxx

I'd say that's representative at least it is of my daughter's school who had the vaccinations last week. My daughter tells me the majority of children were not vaccinated.. Some didn't get it because they've had Covid in the last 28 days but the majority didn't because parents simply did not consent. Real shame, as cases are increasing every week, more than 10% have Covid at any one time. PHE however are not concerned so that's alright then...
Our school hasn’t even had them yet. It’s not being offered until mid November.
puppeteer · 19/10/2021 08:12

@noblegiraffe

Bollocks misleading stats.

Take-up of the vaccine in my school and my DS's school is zero. Why? Because they've cancelled the vaccine due to staff shortages.

The Guardian should get off its journalistic arse and ask how many teens have even been offered the jab.

Maybe they can’t because they’re all “working” from home to keep everyone safe…
bestbefore · 19/10/2021 08:21

My ds didn't get done at school as they ran out of time...and I can't get it booked online yet despite being sent a special link as they can only be booked for those aged 16+ 🤪 Agree it's misleading reporting!

Angel2702 · 19/10/2021 08:34

Not the case here. Here they cannot vaccinated everyone who consents to it so huge numbers have been missed by the school vaccination team despite consenting and turning up to be vaccinated.

They have put on drop in clinics over half term to allow those who were missed to receive the vaccine, however even this has been poorly organised. It is next week which is not half term for the majority in our area. We have also been told if we take our children out of school to be vaccinated it will be recorded as an unauthorised absence.

elliejjtiny · 19/10/2021 08:47

I have 2 teens. Ds1 had his yesterday. Ds2 is currently isolating while waiting for a pcr test result so hasn't had his yet.

CharleyMarley · 19/10/2021 08:50

Take up is very high at my DC's schools. But we live in a very affluent MC area.

CharleyMarley · 19/10/2021 08:51

@RedskyThisNight

Opposite here - DC's school have had 2 vaccination days, not got through everyone who wanted the vaccine and can't say when they will come back.
Also happened at my kids school.
Silkieschickens · 19/10/2021 16:10

Think that is quite misleading. Secondary 1 said book for covid test for DD, filled in 5 page form and it disappeared, maybe as DD had covid along with about 20% of her year within 28 days of proposed date but no explanation given. Then that date gets cancelled, no staff, same happens with flu jab. New date for covid vaccine DD can do, fill in 5 page form, goes through fine then last minute gets cancelled again and says she is now not eligible as will turn 16. She and us were very ill with covid and we still 5 weeks later are not great. She will get it done but we really need 2 vaccines to be able to travel to France for first time in 2 years to see MIL who is 89 and lives alone.

Then DS school they are not in until November. I have not responded for him as he is autistic and went mute and was running round very distressed when told. He has so far escaped and is very careful but we will see with him. Again lots of children at school have had it and will be hit by 28 day rule and the form crashes a lot and school dont know understandly as they have got 10 million other things to do how to fix form. Their flu jab also got cancelled saying no staff again.

I think a lot of parents also do want the vaccine but want 2 jabs not one and I would imagine at some point that may happen but if you choose one now will the second one count if say its not until mid next year. Its an issue for 12 to 17 years olds and basically means many children with families abroad cannot see them. I fear MIL will be dead before we see her and even if she dies we still cannot go to her funeral as a family. DH was supposed to go alone then we got covid.