Online claim that England's COVID-19 vaccine rollout to 12 to 15-year-olds has been suspended is fake
Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland to set rollout dates, as they decide their own health policies.
(Reuters) - Thousands of people have watched a video online in which a man says England’s rollout of COVID-19 vaccines to 12- to 15-year-olds has been suspended due to a paperwork mishap. Public Health England (PHE) told Reuters this claim is false.
The video was posted to Facebook and Twitter on Sept 19 – the eve of the rollout – and features a man speaking to his camera from inside a car.
BREAKING NEWS! Child jab rollout in disarray as multiple schools cancel as proper paperwork not sent out as well as mounting legal challenges! pic.twitter.com/xz03UkBd8t
— Unity News Network (UNN) (@UnityNewsNet) September 19, 2021
He says his phone is currently “pinging off the hook” and adds: “Basically, jab rollouts across schools in England are being suspended because Public Health England haven’t sent out the correct paperwork, something called the Patient Group Direction […]
“How unbelievable is that? We’re supposed to trust these people that everything’s safe. It’s honestly unbelievable.”
However, PHE says this claim is false.
Speaking to Reuters via email, a representative of the government agency said there would be no delay or suspension, as a Patient Group Direction, the specific legal framework was in place in time for the rollout.
The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines to 12- to 15-year-olds in England began on Sept. 20 after a unanimous recommendation by the chief medical officers (CMOs) from all four nations of the United Kingdom.
The CMOs recommended that children in this age bracket get a first shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, after the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) earlier this month decided against making the recommendation.
Thus, COVID-19 vaccine rollouts to children aged 12 to 15 began on Sept 20. PHE says paperwork was in place in time for the rollout to begin.
