These are the trailblazing teens becoming the first 16-18 year olds in Sheffield vaccinated against Covid

Nearly 100 turned out to have the injection at St Columba’s Church in Crosspool today as the city held its first sessions for 16 and 17 year olds, with more to follow in the coming days and weeks.

The vaccinations were by appointment only, with those receiving the injections having been invited through their GPs.

Organisers were pleased with the uptake – and those who had become the first in their peer group to be vaccinated were pleased to be there.

Grace Morris, aged 16, from Lodge Moor, heard last week that the jabs would be available for her age group, and was certain she wanted the jab.

She said: “I heard they were giving it to my age group, and then I got a text from my GP offering it.

"I was happy with that straight away – I think it is a good thing. I know my friends want to have it, but I don’t know how the older groups feel."

She said her father was a hospital doctor, and had been confident from the start in the vaccines, giving her the same confidence.

"It was a bit of a no-brainer to have the jab,” she said. “It was quick, it hurt a bit, but not too much.”

Annalise Gillingham, also 16, from Crookes was also keen to have the injection, but wanted to check with her doctor first as she suffered from a rare medical condition.

Once it was confirmed she was safe to take it, she was keen to take the vaccine.She said she was not worried about its safety, and was confident about having the jab.

She said several of her friends currently had the virus – all having attended the Tramlines music festival.

"I feel safer having had the jab,” she said.

Lucas Musson, aged 17, from Crookes said he had been keen to have the vaccine as soon as it was announced it would be available for his age group.

"I knew I wanted it straight away,” he said. “My whole family’s been vaccinated, and I’m not worried about it at all. Things are opening back up again and if this decreases my chances of getting Covid, that’s great.”

GP Tom McAnea, the clinical director for West5Care NHS network which runs the sessions, said there were 92 under 18s having the vaccine at what was the first session of the sort in the city, but all the age group would be offered it. It is likely to be also later given at drop-ins without appointments, although no details of those are yet known.

He said he was keen to make sure the age group had the correct information, and were not influenced by inaccurate misinformation on the internet.

He said: “I believe the Pfizer vaccine that we are using for this age group is safe – I would not be putting it in their arms if I did not.”

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