We have been informed by Manchester Health and Care Commissioning that Manchester is now vaccinating the 12 -15 year old specific cohort below as per the JVCI guidance:

  • Those with severe neuro-disability and/or neuromuscular conditions that compromise respiratory function are eligible for a vaccine. This includes conditions (such as cerebral palsy, autism and muscular dystrophy) that may affect swallowing and protection of the upper airways, leading to aspiration, and reduce the ability to cough and resulting overall in increased susceptibility to respiratory infections.
  • Children and young adults with learning disability (LD), including those who are on the learning disability register; those with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) or severe LD.
  • Individuals with Down’s Syndrome.
  • Those with immunosuppression due to disease or treatment, including: patients undergoing chemotherapy leading to immunosuppression, patients undergoing radical radiotherapy, solid organ transplant recipients, bone marrow or stem cell transplant recipients, HIV infection at all stages and genetic disorders affecting the immune system.

    Individuals who are receiving immunosuppressive or immunomodulating biological therapy, and individuals treated with steroid sparing agents. Individuals treated with or likely to be treated with systemic steroids for more than a month at a dose equivalent to prednisolone at 20mg per day (or for children under 20kg body weight a dose of 1mg/kg or more per day).

    Anyone with a history of haematological malignancy, including leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma and those with auto-immune diseases who may require long term immunosuppressive treatments.

  • Household contacts of either adults or children who are immunosuppressed.

Invites have started to go out from GP practices inviting parents to be vaccinated at their local vaccination centre.

Further guidance is awaited regarding the wider 12-15 year old cohort. The 16-17 year old cohort started receiving their invites back in August and this covers all 16-17 year olds.

We raised parents’ concerns about Covid centres’ ability to adequately support young people with SEND and have been told that “all our local primary care-led vaccination services are delivering to the cohort and we have asked them to make sure all reasonable adjustments are in place to support the CYP and their families.“