Vaccines could be rolled out for 16 and 17-year-olds
The government is expected to soon roll out the Covid vaccinations to 16 and 17-year-olds.
About 1.4 million teenagers in that age group will be encouraged to be inoculated before they return to schools and colleges in September, in a move that the government could announce this week.
The change is expected to be approved as early as today, The Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail reported.
The government has delayed the move until ministers see more evidence in favour of vaccinating young people.
The change in guidance is expected now that scientific advisers in the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have reportedly submitted their updated advice to Downing Street.
The decision would come two weeks after the JCVI had recommended that children should not be routinely offered the jabs. But the four chief medical officers across the UK have written to the JCVI asking them to look again at their advice.
The JCVI has, so far, ruled out blanket vaccination of healthy children. But existing guidance states that those aged 16 to 17 with underlying health conditions should have already been offered a jab.
Children aged 12 to 15 with certain conditions that make them vulnerable to a serious infection of Covid-19 can also get vaccinated, as can those aged 12 to 17 who live with an immunosuppressed person.
The US has already begun vaccinating under-18s, alongside the UAE, Israel, Japan, Singapore, China, Canada, Indonesia, and the Philippines. About 20 countries in the EU are already vaccinating them or have planned to do so in the near future, according to reports last month.
The Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said she was “veering towards expecting” that the JCVI would soon outline updated guidance for young people having the coronavirus jab.
Speaking to MSPs yesterday, she had suggested the decision could come as soon as today.
She said: “We are waiting on JCVI advice. When I say ‘we’, I am obviously referring to the Scottish government – but the UK, Welsh and Northern Irish governments are in the same position.”
Ms Sturgeon has called for children as young as 12 to be eventually offered the vaccine.
Labour has urged the government to plan the roll-out to teenagers following suggestions that the JCVI was about to approve the move.
The shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, said: “With the JCVI apparently about to give the green light to vaccinating 16-year-olds, ministers need to ensure plans are in place to roll out this vital next stage of vaccination while ensuring parents have all the facts and information they need.”
Latest research shows that full vaccination offers 90 per cent protection against hospitalisation and death, as well as the reduction in transmissions.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson has declined to confirm whether children will be routinely vaccinated, adding that it will be kept “under review”.
Want your views to be included in The Independent Daily Edition letters page? Email us by tapping here letters@independent.co.uk. Please include your address
BACK TO TOP