CHILDREN in Wales aged five to 11 who are in the ‘at risk’ group or live with someone who is immunosuppressed will be offered a Covid-19 vaccine, it has been announced.

The latest changes have been announced by health minister Eluned Morgan following new advice from the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

The latest advice recommends that children aged five to eleven who are in an ‘at-risk’ group or are the household contact of someone who is immunosuppressed should be offered two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, with eight weeks between the first and second doses.

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Secondly, booster vaccines will now be offered to the following groups, following the latest JCVI advice:

  • All children and young people aged 16 to 17 years;
  • Children and young people aged 12 to 15 who are in a clinical risk group or who are a household contact of someone who is immunosuppressed;
  • Children and young people aged 12 to 17 years who are severely immuno-compromised and who have had a third primary dose.

The booster dose should not be offered less than three months after their second dose.

Ms Morgan said: “As always, appropriate information about the potential benefits and risks of vaccination will be made available for children and young people, parents and guardians to make an informed decision on vaccination.

“I have accepted this advice. Our intention, as it has been from the start of the pandemic, is to follow the clinical and scientific evidence.”