Half term clinics to offer catch-up vaccinations for children

Parents of children who are behind on any of their immunisations have been reminded that there will be an opportunity to catch up on any missed vaccinations during the half term holiday at four locations across Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes.

All clinics will offer both walk-in and pre-booked appointments.

In recent years, the number of children vaccinated against many diseases has fallen well below the targets necessary to achieve and maintain elimination.  This gives these infections a chance to get a foothold in local communities.  Achieving high vaccination coverage across the population is important as it also indirectly helps protect children who are too young to be vaccinated.

Low vaccination uptake leaves the region vulnerable to large-scale outbreaks, such as the large numbers of measles cases seen in London and the Midlands in the last few years.

For older children, including those starting college, the clinics will also be offering catch-ups against HPV, diphtheria, tetanus and polio, and meningitis.  All offer long-term protection against serious illnesses.

Dr Sanhita Chakrabarti, deputy chief medical director and clinical lead for children’s and maternity services at Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, said:

“The NHS offers vaccinations for children and adults against a range of infections which can cause severe illness and hospitalisation, and can even be fatal in rare cases.  The risk of complications is higher in babies, young children, pregnant women, and those with weakened immunity.

“There are many reasons why your child might not be up to date with their vaccinations.  For children who are now at school, you may have missed routine appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s never too late to catch up and give your children the protection they need against these serious illnesses.”

Clinics will be held at the following community locations:

• Monday 27 October: King’s House, 245 Ampthill Road, Bedford, MK42 9AZ.
• Tuesday 28 October: Linmere Farmstead, Huckett Street, Houghton Regis, LU5 5GX.
• Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 October: Bury Park Community Centre, 161 Dunstable Road, Luton, LU1 1BW.
• Thursday 30 October: Giffard Park Community Centre, Broadway Avenue, Giffard Park, Milton Keynes, MK14 5GJ.

All sessions will run from 10.00am to 2.00pm.  You can walk in during the opening hours, or book ahead to secure a specific time slot by calling 0300 555 5055 (option 5).

Further dates for local childhood catch-up vaccination clinics, running through to December 2025, are available online.