Paediatric COVID-19 Vaccinations

The Health Services Directorate would like to inform parents/guardians that the second consignment of Paediatric COVID-19 vaccines have arrived on-Island. 

The Health Services Directorate will be offering Paediatric COVID-19 vaccinations to children between the ages of 5 and 11 years from June 2022. Children aged 11 years old, who received the Paediatric vaccine for their first dose and have now turned 12 years old, will be offered the Paediatric vaccine for their second dose as well. 

  • Parental Consent Letters: Parents/guardians of children within these age groups who have not received their first vaccine will receive consent forms and information leaflets regarding the Paediatric COVID-19 vaccination.  Parents/guardians are asked to return the signed forms as soon as possible, regardless of your decision of consent to vaccinate your child. 
  • Parents/guardians of children who have previously given consent and have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine: Will not receive a second consent form. However if there are concerns or you do not wish for your child to receive the second dose you are asked to please contact School Nurse, Cheryl Bedwell, as soon as possible via tel 22500 or email: Cheryl.Bedwell@sainthelena.gov.sh
  • If there are parents/guardians with children who are eligible (between 5 and 11 year’s olds) and you have not yet received a letter/consent form prior to this week, please contact School Nurse, Cheryl Bedwell, as soon as possible.
  • Intervals between first and second vaccination doses: Recent medical evidence and expert advice provided to the Health Services Directorate supports that a second dose of the Paediatric vaccine can be given to children aged 5 to 11 years within 6 to 10 weeks after receiving the first dose. There will be children who will be offered a second dose within these time frames, during this round of vaccinations. 

Parents planning to travel with children: When travelling, children over the age of five years are only deemed fully vaccinated if they have received the full dosage of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, and that the last dose (full vaccination) has been received at least 14 days prior to their arrival of their destination. Therefore parents/guardians of children within this age group are advised to contact the School Nurse, Cheryl Bedwell, or COVID-19 Coordinator, Grace Richards via email: grace.richards@sainthelena.gov.sh, to make the necessary arrangements for vaccination, if you are intending to travel on or after Saturday, 19 June 2022.  

Please note: It is not a mandatory requirement for children to be fully vaccinated to travel. Children can still travel if they have not been vaccinated or have only received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, but you should check the requirements for travel for any country you transit through or travel to.

SHG

25 May 2022

St Helena Government Communications Hub

Telephone: 22470
Email: kimberley.peters@sainthelena.gov.sh