Drive-through venues helping school nursing service to catch-up on routine vaccines

A series of drive-through clinics are helping local school students to catch-up on routine vaccinations that have been missed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pop-up clinics, which are being organised by North East Lincolnshire Council’s School Nurse service, are offering Year 8 students the HPV vaccine.

The vaccine is free to all children and offers protection against human papillomavirus (HPV).

It helps protect against cancers caused by HPV, including cervical cancer, some mouth and throat (head and neck) cancers, and some cancers of the anal and genital areas.

Councillor Ian Lindley, portfolio holder for children, education and young people at north East Lincolnshire Council, said: “These vaccinations offer important protection against a number of cancers.

“Normally these would’ve been carried out in school but unfortunately this has been disrupted by the current pandemic.

“The drive-through clinics have been immensely popular in their first week and I’m hoping that more and more parents of year 8 students will book a slot for their child to be vaccinated in the coming weeks.”

 How to book an appointment

 The sessions are by appointment only, so you will need to book a slot before going for your child’s jab. Appointments are being made available through to August and will include sites across the area.

The vaccines are only available to students in Year 8 at school.

 You can book your appointment online at www.nelincs.gov.uk/vaccine-clinics, or by emailing schoolnursingadvice@nelincs.gov.uk. Alternatively you can arrange an appointment over the phone by calling 01472 323660.

Once you have arranged your appointment, simply turn up, park up and receive your vaccine.

* Sessions may be cancelled due to bad weather

Further community walk-in venues are being arranged and more will be published about these in the coming weeks.