Health and social care secretary Sajid Javid confirms children in England aged five and 11 to be offered Covid vaccine

Children in England aged between five and 11 are made a 'non-urgent' offer of the Covid-19 vaccination, the Government’s health secretary has confirmed.

In a statement this afternoon, health and social care secretary Sajid Javid said: “I have accepted the advice from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to make a non-urgent offer of Covid-19 vaccines to all children aged five to 11 in England.”

At-risk children and those who live with immunosuppressed people in the age group are already offered vaccines.

Mr Javid said a thorough review by the independent medicines regulator, the MHRA, had already approved Pfizer’s paediatric vaccine as safe and effective for children aged five to 11.

“Children without underlying health conditions are at low risk of serious illness from Covid-19 and the priority remains for the NHS to offer vaccines and boosters to adults and vulnerable young people, as well as to catch-up with other childhood immunisation programmes,” he said.

“The NHS will prepare to extend this non-urgent offer to all children during April so parents can, if they want, take up the offer to increase protection against potential future waves of Covid-19 as we learn to live with this virus.”

According to the government’s latest vaccination data, 91.3 per cent of the UK has had their first dose, with 84.9 per cent getting a second jab and 65.9 per cent opting for a booster.

In Lincolnshire 81.6 per cent of people are double-jabbed while 67.3 per cent have had their booster.

Vaccination uptake in the 12 to 15-year-olds currently sits at 64.6 per cent, rising to 76.6 per cent for 16 to 17-year-olds and 78.9per cent in 18 to 24-year-olds.