Ruddington’s pharmacy has announced it is offering COVID-19 jabs for 12 to 15 year olds from today (Saturday 19th February).
Having become an official ‘NHS Covid Vaccination Centre’ in January, for those age 16 and above, Ruddington’s younger teenagers and 12 year-olds can now also enjoy the convenience of being inoculated closer to home at Evans Pharmacy on Charles Street.
Pharmacist Emma Anderson reveals: “I have opened up appointments for 12-15 years this Saturday. Please phone 0115 9211086 to book. It is important that all under 18s wait three months between doses, and any COVID infection, to have a COVID vaccine.”
Vaccinations for those over 16 – for first, second and booster doses using the Pfizer vaccine – are continuing there on Thursdays, too.
“If anyone, of any age is unsure if they would like a vaccine, it is fine to book an appointment to have a chat about the risks and benefits to them” says Emma.
It follows this week’s announcement from The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JVCI) that all 5 to 11 year olds in England will be offered two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech paediatric vaccine from April 2022, albeit this is ‘non-urgent’. 
The JVCI says: “Although this age group is generally at very low risk of serious illness from the virus, a very small number of children who get infected do develop severe disease. Latest evidence suggests that offering the vaccine ahead of another potential wave will protect this very small number of children from serious illness and hospitalisation – and will also provide some short-term protection against mild infection across the age group.”
However, Emma explains: “At present I am unable to offer to under 12 years old, and it is too early to know if the NHS will ask local pharmacies to support this phase of the vaccine rollout. Parents will be contacted by the NHS about appointment options for their younger children when this becomes operational.”
Meantime, our Ruddington pharmacy is also starting another, handy new service for villagers: “I am offering 24 hour blood pressure monitoring, as well as clinic reading on an NHS basis, to groups selected by the NHS” says Emma. “This is useful because previously patients have told us about considerable waiting times for this service.”
Again people should contact Evans Pharmacy, at 11 Charles Street, to find out more.
