Britain's top medical advisers recommend universal vaccination for children

London, Sept 13 Reuters - Britain's top medical advisers recommended that all 12- to 15 year-olds receive the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, citing the benefit on avoiding disruption to education after a vaccination panel had said the decision was finely balanced.

The advice from Chief Medical Officers CMOs paves the way for the broad vaccination of children aged 12-15 in Britain, after the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation JCVI earlier in the month decided against making the recommendation.

The United States, Israel and some European countries have rolled out vaccinations to children more broadly, putting pressure on the British government to follow suit.

The CMOs said that vaccination could reduce disruption to schools and that on balance provide sufficient extra advantage. recommend in favour of vaccines for this group. The UK CMOs therefore suggest on public health grounds that ministers extend the offer of universal vaccination with a first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID - 19 vaccine to all children and young people between 12-15 not already covered by existing JCVI advice, the CMOS said in a letter.

The government must formally indicate whether it will follow the CMOs' advice, though some ministers have previously expressed support for vaccinations for children. In those age bracket, Vulnerable children were already eligible for vaccinations.

The CMOs, who are the top medics in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, said second doses would not be opened until at least spring if they would wait for data to build up internationally.