THE first school in the county to provide Covid jabs for students welcomed medical staff to give out 500 vaccinations last week.

John Kyrle High School in Ross-on-Wye is the first in Herefordshire to roll out the mass vaccination programme for pupils aged 12 to 15.

And the three-day initiative provided by staff from Taurus Healthcare in the school’s gym has been hailed a success by pupils, staff and medical workers.

Taurus Healthcare, the GP Federation for Herefordshire who have been working with county surgeries and other healthcare partners to deliver a successful Covid vaccination programme, provided the team to offer youngsters a dose of the Pfizer jab last week.

Tina Halling, Operations Manager for Taurus Healthcare, said: "We have enjoyed working with such lovely students here at John Kyrle and the staff have organised the days really well.

"We are grateful to JKHS for being the first school we have visited and our experience here has been very valuable in helping shape how we do things at the next schools."

Dave Boyd, operational headteacher at JKHS, added: "It has been a pleasure to have the Taurus team here. They have helped students get their vaccinations with great care and dignity."

Taurus Healthcare will now be coordinating the roll-out of the vaccination programme to all high schools in Herefordshire, with jabs being offered to pupils in educational settings in the forthcoming weeks.

Some parents took to social media to congratulate the school for providing the jab programme.

One mother posted: "Feeling very fortunate our children are able to receive the vaccine so quickly.

Thanks to the lovely staff and school for great organisation."

Another added: "My son says they were lovely. He’s not a fan of needles and was really worried.

"The lady he had was very reassuring and calming, he was very grateful of the extra few sweets he got for having it done.

"Thank you to the team and the school for doing this, another sigh of relief on my part."

In a message to parents and carers announcing the jab programme at the school last week, a spokesperson said: "We are pleased that JKHS will be the first Herefordshire school to offer Covid vaccinations to students aged 12-15 (and those Year 11s who are already 16)."

An invitation letter from Amanda Schiller, clinical director of Vaccination UK, sent to parents and carers, said: "Our highest priority is making it easy for children to access one dose of the vaccine before the winter.

"The main purpose of the Covid-19 school age vaccination programme is to provide protection to the children who receive the vaccine and it may also help to reduce transmission of Covid-19 in the wider population.

"By consenting, you will be helping to play your part in reducing the rick of Covid-19 spreading."

Three weeks ago, John Kyrle High School was forced to reintroduce some lockdown restrictions, including compulsory face-mask wearing, following a spike in virus cases.

It has also had to cancel sports fixtures, open days and evenings, while staff have also reverted to teaching from the front of the lesson as much as possible.