Walk-in vaccination centre targeting children opens in Lancashire

  • George Burton was one of the first to receive a jab at the new centre.


A special walk-in vaccination centre has opened in Lancashire aimed at 12 to 15-year-old children.

The venue at St John's Shopping Centre in Preston is one of the first in the country for youngsters with parental consent.

Jane Scattergood, the director of the centre, said the aim is to ''provide parents with the opportunity to accompany their children, rather than just signing consent forms.''

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One of the first youngsters through the door was George Burton from Lancashire. He said:

''When you get it (Covid), you could be really ill but then once you get the vaccine, it won't give you as big an effect.''

Meanwhile, NHS health teams are set to visit 800 schools across the UK in the next week to offer children a jab.



More than 600,000 young people have been vaccinated since the jabs rollout was extended to include 12 to 15-year-olds at the end of September, NHS England said.

Some 163,000 young people received a jab in the week after the national booking system opened up to them from October 22.

A further 140,000 children have their vaccine booked over the next few weeks, NHS England added.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: "The vaccines are safe and will help keep children in the classroom - I encourage everyone to come forward for their jab to protect themselves and the people around them."

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Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and deputy lead for the NHS Covid-19 vaccine programme, said: "As our children return to the classroom, our efforts to vaccinate children will not stop - hundreds more schools will be vaccinating this week.

"It's really important that we continue with the same enthusiasm if we want to ensure children get to stay in the classroom with their fellow pupils this winter, and so I encourage all parents and guardians to head online and read the information on vaccinating your child, so you can make an informed decision."

Ministers and the UK Health Security Agency are calling on young people to take a rapid lateral flow test before the end of the October half-term to help prevent Covid-19 entering the classroom.


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