Parents threaten to sue school and pursue GBH charges if children are given Covid jabs without their consent

Parents have threatened to sue a school and potentially pursue GBH charges if their children are given Covid jabs without their consent.

The group of 17 parents, who have children in years seven, eight and nine, has also sent a "cease and desist" legal notice to the school.

This autumn all youngsters aged 12 to 15 years are being offered the first dose of the PfizerCovid-19 vaccine.

Government guidance says parents are "asked for consent".

However, if it is refused and the child is deemed "competent" then "the parent cannot overrule the decision" and the child can "legally give consent".

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Parents believe there is a ‘lack of long term data’

Parents of children who attend Tretherras School, in Newquay, Cornwall, have hit back with a legal letter to the head, year leaders, safeguarding team and governors.

The collective believe their children should not be given the vaccine because clinical trials are ongoing and there is a "lack of long term data".

The parents want the school to confirm it will not vaccinate youngsters without parental consent, and the date of any proposed jabs.

It threatens to sue if the school "fails to satisfy my concerns", in the letter dated September 26.

The letter also said they will "bring a case of harassment and emotional harm" against the school should there be "further harassment by school staff of our children regarding the wearing of masks".

‘We decided as a group that our children don’t need the jab’

A parent who signed the letter, and has a 13-year-old boy at the school, said: “We decided as a group that our children don’t need the jab.

"We feel there is no long term data.

"If an adult wants to take the decision to get themselves vaccinated when a vaccine is still on trial, that’s their choice.

"But we believe children as young as 12 cannot make that decision with full awareness of the dangers.

"They’re not allowed to have sex until 16 or smoke before 18 but they can have a vaccination that’s still on trial - the school can’t even give a child a spoonful of Calpol.

"We aren’t anti-vax - we’ve all had our other jabs - we just don’t believe in giving our children vaccines on trial.

"That’s why as a group we have put the school on legal notice - and basically said ‘If any of these children listed are jabbed, we’ll see you in court’."

Vaccination programme for 12-15-year-olds rolled out

The government announced the rollout of an in-school vaccination programme of 12-15-year-olds last month.

Schoolchildren aged between 12 and 15 will be vaccinated this autumn after parents are contacted to give consent - but in cases where the parents refuse, the children may be able to consent for themselves if they are deemed “competent”.

This would allow a child under the age of 16 to consent for themselves if they are deemed as having the capacity and maturity to understand what they are consenting to and are fully aware of what it involves.

The parents who signed the legal notice said they were worried about the long-term health impacts of the Pfizer jab.

The parents argued their 12-15 year old children were not able to fully appreciate potential dangers and therefore should not be able to consent for themselves where the parents declined to consent.

What the school said

A spokesperson from Tretherras School said: “No child will be immunised in school without parental consent.

"If there is a disagreement between parent and child, a meeting is called between the family and the school immunisation team to discuss further.”

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