Yesterday, the Government accepted expert advice to extend the offer of a vaccination against COVID-19 to all children aged 5 – 11, ensuring that parents are able to increase their children’s protection against potential future waves of COVID-19 if they wish to do so.  

Following a thorough review by our independent medicines regulator, the Joint Committee on Vaccinations (JCVI) and Immunisations has approved Pfizer’s paediatric dose of the vaccine as safe and effective for children aged 5 to 11. That is why the NHS will prepare to extend this non-urgent offer of COVID-19 vaccines to all children aged 5 to 11 in April of 2 (10mcg) doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech paediatric vaccine, given with an interval of at least 12 weeks between doses, while continuing to prioritise at-risk children, those living with immunosuppressed people in this age group, and booster jabs for older adults.

Although this age group is generally at very low risk of serious illness from the virus, a very small number of children who get infected do develop severe disease. Latest evidence suggests that offering the vaccine ahead of another potential wave will protect this very small number of children from serious illness and hospitalisation – and will also provide some short-term protection against mild infection across the age group.

As we learn to live with COVID-19, it is vital that we continue to strengthen our immune defences, so if you haven’t already – please come forward for your first, second or booster jab.

To view the Health and Social Care Secretary’s statement on COVID-19 vaccines for 5 to 11 year olds, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/health-secretary-statement-on-covid-19-vaccines-for-five-to-11-year-olds.

For any more information on the JCVI updated advice on vaccinations for 5 to 11 age group, including comments from the Chair of COVID-19 immunisation on the JCVI, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-updates-advice-on-vaccinations-for-5-to-11-age-group.