NHS England officials have indicated that the health service is ready to extend Covid-19 vaccinations to children aged five to 11, following leaked proposals suggesting a rollout in spring 2022. Currently, Covid vaccines are only licensed in the UK for those aged 12 and over.
Any decision to extend the jab to younger children would first require approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA has stated that authorisation would only be granted if safety, quality, and effectiveness standards are met, with children's safety being the top priority.
If the MHRA extends the licence, the Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation (JCVI) would advise the government on implementation. An unnamed source told the Sun newspaper that asking parents for permission to vaccinate young children is part of the schedule.
NHS England said it regularly plans for operationalising vaccine expansions to be ready to extend the jab quickly when recommended by the JCVI. In the US, health officials approved a third of a standard Pfizer dose for five to 11-year-olds in November, while Hong Kong recently lowered the age limit for Sinovac's vaccine to three years.
Meanwhile, UK experts from the UK Health Security Agency have advised that children aged 12 and over who have contracted the virus should defer vaccination for 12 weeks to reduce the very small risk of heart inflammation.
