How and when children will be offered a COVID-19 vaccine?

When will children be offered the COVID-19 vaccine?

Children can get the 1st dose of the vaccine from the day they turn 12.

Most children can get the 2nd dose from 12 weeks after their 1st dose. 

If your child has tested positive for COVID-19 and is not at high risk from COVID-19, they will need to wait 12 weeks before having a COVID-19 vaccine. This starts from the date of their positive PCR test.

Some children aged 12 to 15 are eligible for a booster dose if either:

• they live with someone who has a weakened immune system (such as someone who has HIV, has had a transplant or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis)
• they have a condition that means they’re at high risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19

Conditions that mean they may be at high risk are:

• a severe problem with the brain or nerves, such as cerebral palsy
• Down’s syndrome
• severe or multiple learning disabilities (or they’re on the learning disability register)
• a condition that means they’re more likely to get infections (such as some genetic conditions or types of cancer)

How will children get the COVID-19 vaccine?

Most children aged 12 to 15 can:

• get the vaccine at school
• book their vaccination appointments online for an appointment at a vaccination centre or pharmacy
• find a walk-in vaccination site to get vaccinated without needing an appointment

Getting the vaccine at school

The school immunisation team will visit your child’s school to give the vaccine.

Most children will be given their vaccine at school during school hours. They will be given one dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine does not contain egg, animal products or alcohol.

2nd doses will be offered in schools from 10 January 2022. Children who have not yet had a vaccine can get their 1st dose during these vaccination sessions.

As a parent or guardian, you will receive a letter or email with information about when the vaccine will be offered, and you will be asked to give consent.

If your child misses their COVID-19 vaccination for any reason, they will be offered it again at a later date or they can go to a vaccination site.

If your child does not go to school, for example, if they are home-schooled, you can book their vaccine online or go to a local walk-in clinic. 

Depending on your child’s age, they may be offered another vaccine at school on the same day, such as the following:

• flu vaccine
• HPV vaccine
• 3-in-1 teenage booster (Td/IPV vaccine)
• MenACWY vaccine

These are different vaccines, and as a parent or guardian, you will be asked to give consent for each vaccine.

What happens after the vaccination?

Like all medicines, the COVID-19 vaccines can cause side effects, but not everyone gets them.

Most side effects are mild and should only last 1 or 2 days, such as:

• a sore arm from the injection
• feeling tired
• a headache
• feeling achy
• flu-like symptoms including shivering (chills)

Children should rest and you can give them paracetamol to help make them feel better.

Very rare side effects

There have been extremely rare reports of inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) after COVID-19 vaccination. Most people who had this recovered following rest and simple treatments.

Go to A&E or call 999 if your child has any of these symptoms within a few days of being vaccinated:

• chest pain
• shortness of breath
• a fast-beating, fluttering or pounding heart (palpitations)

If your child has allergies, they will be observed for 15 minutes after having the vaccination; this is in the unlikely event they have a serious reaction to the vaccine. 

If your child does have any allergies, tell the staff at the vaccination centre or pharmacy before they are vaccinated. 

Research has found it is very rare to have a serious allergic reaction to the vaccine, but it usually happens within minutes if this does happen. The immunisation teams are trained to deal with reactions and treat them immediately.

Booking vaccination appointments online

You can book your child’s 1st dose online from the day they turn 12.

You can usually pre-book their 2nd dose from 24 hours after they had their 1st dose. You’ll be offered appointment dates from 12 weeks after their 1st dose.

Book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment

Getting the vaccine at a walk-in vaccination site

Your child can get the 1st dose at a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination site from the day they turn 12.

They can get the 2nd dose if it’s been 12 weeks since their 1st dose.

Find your local walk-in vaccination site

If you are not well when your appointment is due

You should not attend a vaccine appointment if you are self-isolating or waiting for a COVID-19 test. Ideally, you should wait 12 weeks after having a positive COVID-19 test or at least 4 weeks if you are at higher risk.