September 13, 2021 5.05 pm This story is over 30 months old

COVID jabs for 12-15s approved, with 408 new cases in Lincolnshire on Monday

They aim to reduce school disruption
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

UK health chiefs have recommended all children aged 12-15 should be offered one dose of the Pfizer COVID vaccine.

The Chief Medical Officers for each of the four nations said the virus was going to keep spreading over winter and that it would help reduce disruption to education.

The latest news comes as there were 408 cases of coronavirus confirmed in Greater Lincolnshire on Monday.

The government’s vaccine committee previously said there wasn’t enough benefit to go ahead on health grounds along but that other factors could be taken into consideration.

MPs will now be asked to vote on whether to take the the recommendations.

During a briefing today, the CMO for England, Professor Chris Whitty said: “The first principle of medicine is always about balancing risk and benefits and if by doing something, the benefits exceed the risks then it is a sensible thing to do.”

He later said: “The disruption in education that has happened over the last period since March, 2020, has been extraordinarily difficult for children, and had a big impact on health, mental health and long-term public health – this is most apparent in areas of deprivation.”

However, he added: “We do not think that this is a panacea, there’s no silver bullet. It’s not a single thing that on its own will do so, but we think it is, it is an important and potentially useful additional tool to help reduce the public health impacts that come through educational disruption.”

He emphasised that children, young people and their parents should be supported in the decisions they make and be given sufficient information to make the choice whether to take the vaccine or not.

Lincolnshire’s coronavirus cases up to September 13. | Image: GOV.uk

Government figures on Monday showed 254 new cases in Lincolnshire, 72 in North East Lincolnshire and 82 in North Lincolnshire.

Two further deaths of Greater Lincolnshire residents were confirmed in the government figures, with both taking place in Lincolnshire.

NHS data, which is not updated over the weekend, showed three further deaths since Friday’s figures were released, with two at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and one at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust.

Nationally, cases increased by 30,825 to 7,256,559 while deaths rose by 61 to 134,261.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Monday, September 13

105,008 cases (up 408)

  • 68,960 in Lincolnshire (up 254)
  • 16,355 in North Lincolnshire (up 82)
  • 19,693 in North East Lincolnshire (up 72)

2,302 deaths (up two)

  • 1,686 from Lincolnshire (up two)
  • 314 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
  • 302 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)

of which 1,381 hospital deaths (up three)

  • 849 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up two)
  • 44 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
  • 1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
  • 487 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one)

7,256,559 UK cases, 134,261 deaths

DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF THE LATEST UPDATE. POSTCODE DATA INCLUDES DEATHS NOT IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES OR IN HOSPITALS OUTSIDE AUTHORITY BOUNDARIES.