Health and Social Care Minister Zahawi's
said:
“Today’s advice from the independent Joint Committee on
Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) means more vulnerable young
people at greatest risk from this virus can now benefit from
COVID-19 vaccines. I have accepted their expert recommendations
and I have asked the NHS to prepare to vaccinate those eligible
as soon as possible.
“Young people aged 12 to 15 with severe neuro-disabilities,
Down’s Syndrome, immunosuppression and multiple or severe
learning disabilities, as well as people who are household
contacts of individuals who are immunosuppressed, will be
eligible for vaccination soon.
“Our independent medicines regulator, the Medicines and
Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, has approved the
Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for people aged 12 and over as it meets
their robust standards of safety, effectiveness and quality.
“Today’s advice does not recommend vaccinating under-18s without
underlying health conditions at this point in time. But the JCVI
will continue to review new data, and consider whether to
recommend vaccinating under-18s without underlying health
conditions at a future date.
“COVID-19 vaccines have saved almost 37,000 lives and prevented
around 11.7 million infections in England alone. They are
building a wall of defence and are the best way to protect people
from serious illness. I encourage everybody who is eligible to
get their jabs as soon as they can.”
