NHS officials say they can't say whether the roll-out of Covid jabs to 12-15 year olds has started in York and North Yorkshire.

The Press asked Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Childhood Immunisation team for schoolchildren in North Yorkshire and York, whether the Covid vaccination programme had now started, three weeks after the national roll-out began.

If so, we asked when it started, how many jabs have been given so far and when was it hoped that the programme would be completed.

An NHS spokesman responded saying: "More detailed data regarding this cohort is not available at this point, but it’s likely that as the vaccination roll-out in schools progresses, more localised data will be become available."

Andrew Daly, head of one York secondary school, Archbishop Holgate's School, has reminded parents in an update that the Covid vaccination for 12-15 years is being delivered by the local childhood immunisation service, adding:"At present we do not know when this is scheduled to take place but we will let families know as soon as we have more information."

The lack of information contrasts with the daily updates provided about the number of cases in York, including local areas, and regular updates about adult take-up of first and second jabs.

It also comes as Ministers have urged parents to get their children vaccinated against Covid-19 amid concerns about the speed of the programme in secondary schools.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi and Health Secretary Sajid Javid have written a joint letter telling the parents of secondary school children that "vaccines are our best defence against Covid-19" and they "help protect young people, and benefit those around them".

Three million pupils aged between 12 and 15 across the UK are eligible to receive a first Covid-19 jab.

*Have Covid jabs been provided in your child's school? Email details to mike.laycock@thepress.co.uk.