The Department of Health in Northern Ireland has confirmed that it has suspended the region’s vaccination programme for children in schools, a move welcomed by solicitors who had launched of a judicial review of the programme.
John J. McNally and Co, a solicitors based in Mid-Ulster, took to Twitter to announce the news on Friday 4th February, writing: “We are delighted to note that the Department of Health have formally confirmed, through their solicitors, that their #COVID19 vaccination programme within schools has been terminated.” The statement was liked over 4,600 times and received almost 2,000 retweets.
We are delighted to note that the Department of Health have formally confirmed, through their solicitors, that their #COVID19 vaccination programme within schools has been terminated.
Read more from @steviatherton: https://t.co/PD2VY0NnIp pic.twitter.com/nDFNV8f7cg
— JJ McNally & Co Solicitors & Notary Public (@JJMcNallyCo) February 4, 2022
DUP MLA for North Antrim, Paul Frew, welcomed the news. He said it was a “really interesting development” and added that he would be submitting questions to the Department of Health to determine if the shift came about purely because of the legal challenge or/and because of other factors.
This is a really interesting development ! I would be interested in knowing the full reasoning and rationale for the Department in terminating the programme at this stage. Was it purely because of this legal challenge or were other factors involved? I will be submitting questions https://t.co/C8TmFeJnFj
— Paul Frew (@paulfrewDUP) February 4, 2022
Sharing the news to Facebook on Friday, the solicitors, which have an office in Magherafelt, Co. Derry, and describes itself as “one of the largest solicitor firms in Mid-Ulster ” said that they were “delighted” that the Department of Health had formally confirmed that their Covid-19 vaccination programme within schools had been terminated. The solicitors said in the statement that the decision removed the “unacceptable risk” the Covid-19 vaccine posed to healthy 12-15 year-olds.
In December, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said that the health benefits from vaccinations is considered too small to support universal vaccination of healthy 12-15-year olds.
In a statement published by the UK government, the JCVI said: “The assessment by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is that the health benefits from vaccination are marginally greater than the potential known harms. However, the margin of benefit is considered too small to support universal vaccination of healthy 12 to 15 year olds at this time.
“It is not within the JCVI’s remit to consider the wider societal impacts of vaccination, including educational benefits. The government may wish to seek further views on the wider societal and educational impacts from the Chief Medical Officers of the UK 4 nations.
For the vast majority of children, SARS-CoV-2 infection is asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and will resolve without treatment. Of the very few children aged 12 to 15 years who require hospitalisation, the majority have underlying health conditions. The committee has recommended the expansion of the list of conditions to which the offer applies for at-risk 12 to 15 year olds.”
The JCVI cited a risk of myocarditis, which it said was an “extremely rare adverse event” with research into medium-to-long term effects being conducted.
“There is evidence of an association between mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and myocarditis. This is an extremely rare adverse event. The medium- to long-term effects are unknown and long-term follow-up is being conducted.
“Given the very low risk of serious COVID-19 disease in otherwise healthy 12 to 15 year olds, considerations on the potential harms and benefits of vaccination are very finely balanced and a precautionary approach was agreed.”
Professor Wei Shen Lim, Chair of COVID-19 Immunisation for the JCVI, said:
“For otherwise healthy 12 to 15 year old children, their risk of severe COVID-19 disease is small and therefore the potential for benefit from COVID-19 vaccination is also small. The JCVI’s view is that overall, the health benefits from COVID-19 vaccination to healthy children aged 12 to 15 years are marginally greater than the potential harms.
“Taking a precautionary approach, this margin of benefit is considered too small to support universal COVID-19 vaccination for this age group at this time. The committee will continue to review safety data as they emerge.”
JJ McNally and Co, on Tuesday, wrote: “We are delighted to note that the Department of Health have formally confirmed, through their solicitors, that their Covid-19 vaccination programme within schools has been terminated, thereby removing the unacceptable risk that a healthy 12-15 year old child could receive a #Covid vaccine in the absence of their parents and, furthermore, in the absence of parental consent.”
The firm added: “Whilst the primary objective of our challenge has now been achieved, our substantive challenge against the ministerial decision to disregard the scientific advice of the JCVI will continue.
“We are acutely aware, through the UK Government’s own safety surveillance data, that thousands of healthy children in the UK have reported adverse events in the aftermath of vaccination, many of these injuries can only be described as serious.”
They added that their challenge has now been listed for an initial ‘Leave’ (Permission to proceed) hearing on the 21st of March 2022.
“We are very grateful for the overwhelming support that we have received from the community in relation to this matter.
“Our office will continue to advocate for children who have been left voiceless and defenceless during the past 2 years.”
The legal challenge against the North’s Covid-19 vaccination programme for healthy 12-15 year-olds in schools was issued in the High Court in Belfast on 1st December 2022. On that date, JJ McNally and Co informed Twitter followers of the challenge, which was taken on behalf of the mother of a 13 year-old child.
“We confirm that we have lodged proceedings in the High Court in Belfast today on behalf of the mother of a 13 year old child, challenging the Dept of Health’s decision to vaccinate healthy children against Covid-19.
“These pleadIngs seek the immediate suspension of the vaccination rollout and assert that these injections pose a risk to the lives of children, relying upon evidence obtained from Government’s own internal reporting structures as to vaccine harm within the UK and abroad.
“Details of these harms, and the potential lethality of Covid-19 vaccinations to children, were provided to the mainstream print media in October, prior to the rollout of the child vaccination campaign, but they elected to ignore our requests to forewarn parents and facilitate informed consent,” the law firm said.
In September, Stevie Atherton, the solicitor who led the legal challenge, described it as “the most important case I have had the privilege of being involved in.” Mr Atherton said that there was “so much at stake for so many children and their parents.” The law firm said that its intention was to “give a voice to these victims and place their stories before the High Court for consideration.” Meanwhile, it is believed the Department of Health argued that Covid vaccines for children are “safe and effective” and that any adverse reactions will be mild or moderate.
https://twitter.com/steviatherton/status/1438577543527993344?s=20&t=iKP3cZ07g8S1YUCc7fkGgg
Quick on the heels of last week’s triumph, the law firm has launched a legal challenge against the NI Children’s Commissioner over the masking of children.
“We have received instructions from the parent of a secondary school child who wishes to challenge the lawfulness of the failure of the Children’s Commissioner, Koulla Yiasouma, to intervene and advocate for the removal of the masking of children in post primary schools.
“Accordingly, we have issued pre action correspondence highlighting the discrimination suffered by children in this jurisdiction, when considered against children in England, and further highlighting the absurdity and irrationality of adults in tightly confined social settings being free from any such requirement whilst children here find themselves masked between 7 and 9 hours per day, depending upon the distance they live from school and time spent on school transport.
“We will keep you updated as to developments.”