Rollout out of covid jab for healthy young people aged 12 to 15 to begin in Wales next week
The Welsh Government has said it will begin the rollout out of covid vaccine programme for healthy young people aged 12 to 15 next week.
The UK’s four Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) have recommended that all children in the age group should be offered a single dose of a the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
The decision to offer the jab to healthy youngsters comes after scientific advisers serving on the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said it was “of the opinion that the benefits from vaccination are marginally greater than the potential known harms.”
Health minister Eluned Morgan confirmed this afternoon that she has accepted the advice of the CMOs.
England gave the green light on the jab for 12 to 15-year-olds on Monday.
I am particularly concerned that some studies show that 1 in 7 children who have Covid infections are thought to develop post Covid syndrome.
During a press conference, Ms Morgan said: “After careful consideration, the chief medical officers have recommended offering children and teenagers in this age group, the vaccination, based on public health grounds, saying it will help to reduce the disruption to their education.”
“Today I’ve accepted this advice, and we will now begin preparations to invite 12 to 15 year olds who have not yet been vaccinated, to have a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, and that rollout will start next week.”
In a statement, Ms Morgan said: “The vaccine is not mandatory and people can choose whether to have the vaccine or not.”
“There will be appropriate information made available for children and young people and their parents to make up their minds about vaccination.”
“Parents or guardians will be asked to give consent. I encourage parents, guardians, children and young people to discuss together whether or not to have the vaccination.”
