Schools could open vaccination clinics for teens, SAGE member suggests

1 July 2021, 17:19 | Updated: 1 July 2021, 17:21

If approved, children could get their jabs in school vaccine clinics.
If approved, children could get their jabs in school vaccine clinics. Picture: PA

By Emma Soteriou

Schools could hold vaccination clinics for young people to help get jabs in more people's arms, a member of SAGE has suggested.

Government advisor Professor Russell Viner said a school-based programme would be most effective in the rollout of the jab, if the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) decided young people should get it.

"Schools are almost certainly the best platform to provide Covid vaccines to healthy teenagers, if and when a decision is made to do that," he said.

"Quite a lot of communication with parents will be important, both at a national level but also by schools and others who are providing the vaccines."

Read more: Education Secretary hopes to lift school bubble restrictions from 19 July

'It's not absolutely clear that we need to vaccinate children'

However, Prof Viner said there was not enough safety data on whether children should get the jab and the direct health benefit for them being vaccinated was low.

"The risk of coming into intensive care, so having severe disease, is about one in 50,000 - these events are exceptionally rare," he told a briefing hosted by the Royal Society of Medicine.

"This is about the balance of risks. The benefits to them (children) of being vaccinated, are very low, the risks are unclear."

Despite this, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recently approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for people aged 12 and over.

Read more: UK regulator approves Pfizer vaccine for use in 12 to 15-year-olds

Covid: Ben Kentish breaks down debate around vaccinating children

Prof Viner said that teens consenting to vaccines was an option moving forward, suggesting that those who are deemed competent and who are fully informed could "consent to taking treatment against the wishes of their parent".

However, he reiterated that principles would and should apply to vaccination only if the JCVI approved the use of jabs for children.

He went on to explain how information was unclear on the impact vaccinating teenagers could have.

There are a "whole series of unanswered questions about how high we need to get our teenage vaccination rates, if we do decide to vaccinate teenagers, to contribute to overall benefit to the population," he said.

"I'm hesitant to use the word herd immunity. But in terms of overall benefit to the population, I think it is unclear."

The expert said one of his "real concerns" was that, once all adults are jabbed, young people will "become the source of most infections to vulnerable adults".

"I think that's one of the reasons, in my mind, that we should think about vaccinating them," he said.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Breaking
John Torode took to Instagram to tell fans that he allegedly made the remarks in 2018 or 2019 and that he had apologised immediately afterwards.

MasterChef's John Torode reveals allegation of racist language amid inquiry Into Gregg Wallace complaints

Locals living next to Clemence Road were ordered to leave their properties after the inferno set a light to shrubland, trees, fences and garden furniture in an area behind the street.

Inferno in Dagenham: Over 100 firefighters battle massive grass blaze as residents evacuated from homes

Saturday, Aug. 15, 1998 file photo showing Royal Ulster Constabulary Police officers stand on Market Street, the scene of a car bombing in the centre of Omagh, Co Tyrone.

Parliament watchdog to decide whether to release 15-year-old secret transcript in Omagh car bombing enquiry

The Spanish state has condemned Yamal, who celebrated his landmark birthday this weekend with around 200 people attending the private event

Spanish government to probe Lamine Yamal's birthday bash over 'dwarf exploitation' and 'paid breast size' guests

Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz, a German citizen but born in Chile, died in a plane crash at Southend Airport on Sunday.

Pictured: Flight nurse, 31, killed on her first day of the job in Southend Airport plane crash

Manchester United's Axel Tuanzebe during the pre-season friendly match at Old Trafford, Manchester in 2021.

Manchester United sued by former player Axel Tuanzebe over alleged ‘clinical negligence’

As the couple were arrested, Marten can be heard questioning "how is that an arrest-able offence?"

‘How is that an arrestable offence?’: Constance Marten's arrogant response as police catch her after seven weeks on the run

The first glimpse of Dominic McLaughlin has been cast as Harry Potter.

Harry Potter TV series filming kicks off with first glimpse of leading star - as more cast announced

Blue Stevens, 24, died after he was attacked in Seville Street, Knightsbridge, at around 9.30pm on July 9.

Three arrested after man, 24, stabbed to death 'for his Rolex' near luxury Knightsbridge hotel

Yostin Mosquera, left, denies murdering Albert Alfonso, centre.

Man accused of suitcase murders claims he was ‘raped every day’ by one of his alleged victims

England's Shoaib Bashir celebrates after the final wicket during day five of the Third Rothesay Men's Test at Lord's, London.

England beat India by 22 runs in third Test of the series

Police personnel work at the site of an Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, June 13, 2025.

Air India rules out mechanical fault on doomed flight 171 amid investigation into pilots' 'medical records'

Aristocrat Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon have been found guilty at the Old Bailey of the manslaughter of their newborn baby.

Crocodile tears of a killer aristocrat: Moment Constance Marten is confronted over the death of newborn baby

A man accused of trying to spy for Russia has claimed he planned to “track and expose Russian agents” to assist Israel, a court has heard.

Father-of-four accused of plotting to spy for Russia claims he planned to ‘expose Russian agents'

Pc Ellie Cook fired her Taser at Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, after he and his brother, Muhammad Amaad, 26, allegedly attacked her and two Greater Manchester Police (GMP) colleagues.

‘Not an option’ to walk away from Manchester Airport suspect - police officer tells court

Police said road crime team officers initially tried to pull over the Peugeot, which was believed to be linked to drugs, on the M5.

Cocaine smuggler jailed after police find £1 million worth of drugs in car boot following 120mph chase