Thousands of invitations are going out to 16 and 17 year olds in Sussex this week so that they can benefit from the all-important protection needed to prevent severe illness from COVID-19.
Vaccination is also being offered to children aged 12 to 15 who have a higher risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 or who live with someone at high risk of catching it. Children and their parents in this group will be contacted by their GP practice or a vaccination service to book their vaccination appointments.
While we know that the majority of younger people aged 16 -17 aren’t at risk of severe illness if they catch COVID-19 themselves, we do know that infection rates among this group have been increasing. It’s vital for them to get their all-important protection before they go back to school, college or begin work to help stop the spread in our communities.
People in this age group can get their vaccination by attending a walk-in session or by waiting to be contacted by their GP or local vaccination service to arrange an appointment.
Sites that are available running vaccinations for this age group are on the Sussex Health and Care Partnership website.
Local GP led vaccination services will also be arranging booked appointments for 16 to 17 year olds, and they will be contacting everyone on their registered lists in the coming days.
The Sussex COVID-19 vaccination programme has produced some frequently asked questions for younger people aged 16 -17 years old.
Further information can be found here.
You can also contact your vaccination champion, Andy Miller, on 01892 8522389 or 07817 130653.