Schools tell parents to get children vaccinated over holidays

Schools across the southeast have sent out letters to parents urging them to get their schoolchildren vaccinated over the two-week school holidays.

Schools across the southeast have sent out letters to parents urging them to get their schoolchildren vaccinated over the two-week school holidays, which start this weekend.

Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young wrote to all state high school principals across Queensland asking them to urge families to get children as young as 12 to get vaccinated over the next two weeks.

Letters sent to parents of Cleveland District State High School said children aged 12 years and older could receive a Pfizer Covid vaccine from a Queensland Health clinic or at a local doctor.

Cleveland High principal Leonard McKeown said parents would soon be able to access the Moderna (Spikevax) vaccine at local pharmacies.

Cleveland High principal Leonard McKeown wrote to parents urging them to vaccinate their children over the holidays. Image/Jono Searle)

Mr McKeon’s letter urged parents to set up a vaccine booking account and register with Queensland Health to get their children vaccinated over the holidays.

“Older children can register themselves separately if they have their own email address or a parent or guardian can register and set up their children as dependants,” his letter said.

“All correspondence will be managed through the parent and guardian’s email address.

“For young people, consent from a parent or a guardian is usually required.

“In Queensland, individuals aged 12 to 15 years may require a parent or a guardian to provide consent, however individuals aged 16 years and older are generally deemed to have capacity to consent for vaccination.”

It is recommended that children under the age of 16 have a parent or a guardian with them at their vaccination appointment.

Young people seeking to provide informed consent themselves, without parental consent, should speak to their vaccinating clinician.

Originally published as Schools tell parents to get children vaccinated over holidays