Desk Report
Publish: 17 Feb 2022, 05:47 pm
Representational Image || Photo: Collected
All children aged five to 11 in England will be offered a
Covid-19 vaccine, the UK government said Wednesday, following similar announcements
in the rest of the UK.
The move, coming nearly two months after British regulators
approved Pfizer and BioNTech's shot for use among the age group, sees Britain
following the lead of the United States, the European Union and other
countries.
It has only been vaccinating at-risk under-12s and those who
live with immuno-suppressed people, using a lower-dose formulation of the jab
that was found to be "safe and effective".
However, Health Secretary Sajid Javid -- who has
responsibility for England only -- said he had now accepted guidance from the
Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises UK health
departments, to expand the rollout.
"The NHS (National Health Service) will prepare to
extend this non-urgent offer to all children during April so parents can, if
they want, take up the offer to increase protection against potential future
waves of Covid-19 as we learn to live with this virus," he said in a
statement.
Javid added the priority remained offering vaccines and
boosters to adults and vulnerable youngsters, noting that children without
underlying health conditions are at low risk of serious illness from coronavirus.
Hours earlier, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced
Scotland would also start jabbing five to 11-year-olds, while Wales unveiled the
same policy the previous day.
Northern Ireland also followed suit on Wednesday.
The US was the first large country to begin jabbing
under-12s in November and said last month it had so far vaccinated more than
eight million of them.
Pfizer and BioNTech announced earlier this month that they
are seeking emergency authorisation from US health regulators for use of their
jab for children aged over six months and under five years.
Meanwhile the European Union's medicines watchdog approved
the firms' shot for five to 11-year-olds in November, and several EU nations
started vaccinating them the following month.
Other countries around the world, including Israel, China,
Argentina, have also begun jabbing the age group.
However, some nations such as Sweden have opted against the
move, continuing to recommend jabs only for at-risk children.
Meanwhile, Africa is lagging behind the more developed world
in vaccinating its adult population.
Just over 11 percent of Africans are vaccinated, the lowest
rate in the world, according to the World Health Organization.
Subscribe Shampratik Deshkal Youtube Channel
© 2024 Shampratik Deshkal All Rights Reserved. Design & Developed By Root Soft Bangladesh