“Vaccines are our ultimate route out of this pandemic and councils want to play their full part in what will be our largest ever school vaccination programme, given their existing close working relationship with schools, parents and health professionals."
Responding to the Government’s decision to offer coronavirus vaccinations to children aged 12 to 15, Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:
“Vaccines are our ultimate route out of this pandemic and councils want to play their full part in what will be our largest ever school vaccination programme, given their existing close working relationship with schools, parents and health professionals.
“It is vital that councils’ Directors of Public Health and Directors of Children’s Services are involved in oversight in their areas, drawing on the experience of school nurses who are employed by local authorities, and working with parents and teachers to be able to identify other eligible children such as those who are home educated and children in the care of their local authority.
“Given the anticipated demand, councils look forward to working jointly with NHS England and government to put in place the necessary coordination, resources and capacity needed to meet this next stage of the successful vaccination campaign.”