Sirona Flu and Covid-19 Vaccination Information Letter for Students in Yr Groups 8-11
School Immunisation Team
3 Station Road
Pill
Bristol
BS20 0AB
20th September 2021
Dear Parent/Carer
COVID-19 and Flu School Immunisation Programme
This autumn, we are offering all children aged 12 to 15 both a COVID-19 vaccine and a flu vaccine as part of the School Immunisation Programme. This letter explains why children are being offered these vaccines and explains how to let us know whether or not you would like your child to be vaccinated.
Children aged 12 to 15 are being offered the vaccinations to protect them from coronavirus and flu, minimise the circulation of both viruses this winter and to reduce disruption to their education, and the potential impact on the NHS. The vaccinations will be given by Sirona care & health, who run all the School Immunisation Programmes in our area and have a lot of experience vaccinating children aged 12 to 15.
The flu vaccination programme already includes all children from Reception to Year 7 and is being extended this year to include school Years 8 to 11. The Chief Medical Officers have also recommended this age group should be offered one dose of the Pfizer (also known as Comirnaty) COVID-19 vaccination.
If you consent to your child having both vaccines, they will be given at the same time. The flu vaccine is administered using a nasal spray, while the COVID-19 vaccine will be given with an injection to a child’s upper arm. You can choose to consent to your child having both, one, or neither, of the vaccines.
There are separate consent forms for the flu vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine. Please complete both forms, indicating whether or not you wish your child to have each of the vaccines.
Links to the two consent forms are below. If you don’t have access to the internet, you can request a paper copy from your child’s school.
Link to the COVID-19 consent form:
https://imms.sirona-cic.org.uk/covid19/2021/consent
Link to the nasal flu consent form:
https://imms.sirona-cic.org.uk/flu/2021/consent
Please complete both forms by 5pm the day before the vaccination clinic at your child’s school. If we do not receive your completed consent forms we may contact you in order to discuss your wishes for your child.
For more information about the COVID-19 vaccination programme for this age group please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-resources-for-children-and-young-people/covid-19-vaccination-a-guide-for-eligible-children-and-young-people-aged-12-to-17
For more information about the Nasal Flu vaccination programme, please visit Protect yourself against flu – information for those in school years 7 to 11 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If your child is not able to attend school on the day of the Immunisation Clinic they can attend a catch-up clinic at a later date. Your school will send out information about these clinics at a later date.
In the meantime, if you have any questions please contact the School Immunisation Team on 01275 373104 or email [email protected]
Please ensure you complete both consent forms
Yours faithfully
K. Evans
Karen Evans
Head of Specialist Services for Children
