Covid: Dozens of children given higher dose of vaccine at clinic ‘by mistake’

Solent NHS Trust has apologised and say they’re taking the issue ‘very seriously’

A total of 36 children, aged between five and 11, received the higher than normal dose (Getty (stock image))

A mother was “devastated” after her children were mistakenly given a higher than normal dose of the Covid vaccine at a clinic in Southampton.

A total of 36 children, aged between five and 11, received their vaccinations at the children’s only pop-up vaccine clinic at Start Point in Sholing, Southampton, on Wednesday.

The mother of two, who wishes to remain anonymous, received a call later that evening from Solent NHS Trust, informing her that her children were among those given a higher dose of the paediatric Covid vaccination.

Speaking to the BBC, she said that she was already concerned about her children getting the vaccination in the first place, but she “took them along as I’d do anything in my power to protect them”.

She was told that she “shouldn’t expect anything significant” to happen to her children, but that any reaction they had to the jab “would last longer”.

“I haven’t slept for 48 hours, my anxiety is through the roof,” she added. Her children have not experienced any side effects.

Solent NHS Trust has apologised for the error, saying it is taking the situation “very seriously” and has begun an investigation.

Chief medical officer for the trust, Dr Dan Baylis, said: “We are very sorry this error occurred and we have contacted the parents of the children involved to apologise for the mistake and share support and guidance should their child experience any mild side effects such as tiredness or a headache.

“We want to reassure everyone this is an isolated occurrence, which we are taking very seriously, and a thorough investigation is under way so that we learn from this and ensure it does not happen again.”

It comes as health officials warned two new strains of coronavirus have emerged in the UK.

More than 700 cases of the mutant BQ.1 variant have been detected across the country with a further 18 cases of the so-called XBB variant.

Both XBB and BQ.1 are very immune evasive and may even be immune to current vaccines, experts have told The Independent.