Children between 12 and 15 years old will be given a second dose.
It is in response to concerns regarding the newly identified Omicron variant.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises UK governments on vaccines, has recommended that 12- to 15-year olds be given a second shot - at least 12 weeks following the first.
This is one of a variety of measures that the JCVI recommends should be taken in the event of Omicron variant spreading more quickly or being more severe than the current types of Covid.
A second dose is being given to children aged 16-17 years old.
England and Scotland already stated that they would follow the JCVI's advice. It is likely to be accepted by Wales and Northern Ireland.
No. No.
He stated that young people and their families should be supported and that there shouldn't be any stigma attached to their choices.
Children between the ages of 12 and 17 years old who are healthy should wait 12 weeks after being tested positive for coronavirus to have their Covid jab.
Children who live with vulnerable adults or are at greater risk due to underlying health conditions will be subject to a four-week gap.
While parental consent is required, children younger than 16 years old who can show they understand the benefits and risks of the vaccine can request it or refuse it if they disagree.
"Gillick competence" is a legal test that determines whether a child consents to treatment. This test is named after a famous dispute where a teenage girl wanted contraceptive advice, but her mother refused to consent.
It would be very unusual for a child younger than 13 to be Gillick-competent.
Parents don't have to give permission for teenagers between 16 and 17, unless they are in exceptional circumstances.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is being administered to children under 18 years old. However, the Moderna vaccine has been approved for use in the UK.
The UK does not currently have a vaccine for children under 12 years of age.
Today, the MHRA, which is responsible for regulating medicines in the UK, stated that despite initial concerns over side effects in children under 18, monitoring and a thorough review had determined the jab safe with no new safety issues.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA), which was notified earlier this year that Pfizer and Moderna vaccines had been linked to rare cases of young man's heart inflammation, stated that the vaccines could have caused the condition. The EMA stated that vaccinations still have many benefits, even though there are risks.
Covid-19 is very unlikely to affect almost all children and youth.
According to data from England, approximately 25 children died of Covid during the first twelve months of the pandemic.
Many of them had complex neurological conditions and severe health issues.
Sixteen had never been diagnosed with a health condition.
Public Health England statistics indicate that there were approximately 50 deaths in the year ending 31 August 2021 among children under 19 years old.
Many countries have begun to vaccinate children as young as 12 years old.
Correction 21 September 2021
