Over 34,000 five to 11-year-olds in the Midlands have now been booked in for the COVID-19 vaccine since the latest phase of the programme began rolling out on 4 April.

Cases of COVID continue to rise and the numbers of people admitted into hospital with COVID is increasing. Some children do become particularly ill with the disease, and also suffer with Long COVID.

With many schools having broken up for the Easter break, there are a wealth of sites across the region offering vaccinations. Local sites are making it as easy as possible for families, and a less daunting experience for youngsters, by offering activities and therapy dogs.

Sites are allowing for longer appointment times so that families can discuss their decisions and ensure visits with children are as stress free as possible. Appointments can be booked through the National Booking Service or by calling 119.

There are also convenient vaccine walk-ins across the region which families can find via www.nhs.uk/grab-a-jab. The online finder shows which walk-in sites can vaccinate which age groups.

The NHS is making the vaccine available for all five to 11s following updated guidance from The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which recommended all children would benefit from a non-urgent offer of the vaccine, to help protect against potential future waves of COVID-19 and reduce the risk of children falling seriously ill with the virus.

For decades, vaccinations have protected children and young people from potentially serious diseases including measles, flu, meningitis and mumps. The COVID-19 vaccine is one more vaccine that will help protect children from illness.

Roz Lindridge, the NHS England and NHS Improvement director responsible for overseeing the vaccination programme across the Midlands, said:

“The response from parents and children in the Midlands has been fantastic and it’s great to see over 34,000 children aged five to 11 being booked in to take advantage of the vital protection that the vaccine delivers.

“Parents can be reassured that no new vaccine for children would have been approved unless the expected standards of safety, quality and effectiveness had been met.

“The NHS has pulled out all the stops to make vaccinations as easy as possible including visits by therapy dogs, and a mini-toy town at Tipton Sports Academy in the Black Country with youngsters getting to play hop-scotch, a treasure hunt, and snakes and ladders following vaccination. In Shropshire, a vaccination clinic in Oswestry has been transformed into a mini jungle in order to put young children at ease when they come for their jab.

“As COVID cases continue to rise, it’s never too late for anyone to have their vaccine.  Across the Midlands there is an ‘evergreen’ offer for COVID-19 vaccinations meaning anyone who has not yet been vaccinated is able to come forward at any time to start their vaccinations.”

Parents and guardians are being encouraged to read the patient and consent information in advance of booking their child’s appointment and will be asked to provide consent for their child’s vaccination on the day.

Families will be given a vaccination record card once their child has been vaccinated and are asked to keep this in a safe place. The vaccination record card provides the name of the vaccine, batch number and the date the vaccine was given.