The HSE has called on parents to continue to protect their children from preventable diseases such as measles, whooping cough, meningitis and HPV amongst others.
The call comes as HSE immunisation programme commences in schools nationwide from September 27.
Dr Lucy Jessop, Director of Public Health, HSE National Immunisation Office explains: “Schools will be sending home immunisation consent packs for both first year students and Junior Infants.
“We would ask parents to keep an eye out for these and urge them to return these completed to the school, consenting to vaccination of their child.
“A parent or legal guardian can sign the consent form. Vaccination is vitally important to protect children from preventable diseases such as measles, whooping cough and meningitis amongst others.”
If a parent or guardian has consented for their child to receive 4 in 1, MMR, HPV, Tdap or MenACWY since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic but didn’t get their child vaccinated due to restrictions or having to self-isolate/cocoon, they can still be vaccinated.
They can contact the school team to arrange an appointment. Contact details are available on the HSE website here.
Dr Jessop said: “No interval is needed between getting the COVID-19 vaccine and a school vaccine.
“We would like to assure parents that it is completely safe for your child to receive these vaccinations close together or even on the same day.”
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