The UK ministers confirmed that all children aged five to eleven in England will be offered the Covid vaccine.
In a long-awaited announcement, while emphasizing that parents will be expected to make their own decision.
The vaccine rollout will begin in pharmacies, GP practices, and vaccination centers from April.
They will utilize Pfizer/BioNTech dosages for the covid vaccine.
Following months of deliberation about the advantages and hazards.
The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) recommended that the immunization program be expanded to include younger children.
Following similar statements from Wales and Scotland, England’s move was pushed ahead several days.
Robin Swann, Stormont’s health minister, announced that Northern Ireland will follow suit.
“The NHS will prepare to extend this non-urgent offer to all children.
The parents can, if they want, take up the offer to increase protection against potential future waves of Covid-19.
“We are learning to live with this virus,” Javid said, emphasizing that the decision would be left to parents.
According to a government source, vaccination for this age range “would not be pushed in the same way” as it is for adults and older children.
Their parents are notified that it is available if they want.
However, no campaign or lobbying attempts will be entertained.
The main goal of giving the vaccination to younger children is to protect against rare incidences of severe illness.
Experts cautioned, however, that the measure should not take precedence over other childhood immunization programs.
Important children vaccines such as MMR and HPV, have lagged ever since the pandemic began.
Children in England are expected to be offered the vaccine through pharmacies, GPs, and vaccine centers rather than through schools.
It is unclear if parents would be informed directly or whether they will need to come forward to request a jab.
The announcement for England was supposed to come next week, along with the government’s “living with Covid” strategy,
Although, it appears to be pushed forward after Wales announced on Tuesday that it will move forward with its own offer to children aged five to eleven.
These regulations are based on the JCVI’s recommendations.