All five to 11-year olds in Wales to be offered Covid jabson February 15, 2022 at 5:30 pm

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Wales becomes the first UK nation to announce it will vaccinate the younger age group.

Picture of girl having a vaccine

Image source, Getty Images

Wales has become the first UK nation to announce it will offer all five to 11-year olds Covid vaccinations.

Welsh Health Minister Eluned Morgan said she was following a “yet to be published” recommendation from the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

She said ministers and health boards were working on implementing the offer.

There are reports the official JCVI announcement has been delayed due to a disagreement with the UK government.

The minister did not set out a timetable for the vaccination programme.

She told Senedd members: “We’re not going to do that as a matter of urgency, as we did over the Christmas period.

“That’s partly because the risk isn’t as great to that cohort.

“And we’re also waiting to hear from the JCVI to see whether they’ll need a booster on top of the booster for older age groups in the spring.” 

Eluned Morgan

Plaid Cymru health spokesman Rhun ap Iorweth said he was “aware of calls from parents, from staff in education, from health professionals and care workers to push this option of vaccination forward as soon as possible”.

This was because of “concern that the virus is spreading most among children and the impact that that has on family members who are unable to work and the impact that remains in terms of children’s education, where there they do lose large amounts of school time”, he added.

A low-dose version of the vaccine for younger children was approved for use in the UK in December, after being deemed safe and effective.

Since earlier this year five to 11- year-olds with conditions making them vulnerable to Covid have been offered the jabs.

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