Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to issue guidance to clinicians working with clinically extremely vulnerable children on when it is appropriate to administer a covid-19 vaccine.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises that only those children at very high risk of exposure and serious outcomes, such as older children with severe neuro-disabilities that require residential care should be offered a COVID-19 vaccination. The Pfizer vaccine has been approved for use in those aged 16-17 years old.

Children under 16 years of age, even if they are clinically extremely vulnerable, are at low risk of serious morbidity and mortality and given the absence of safety and efficacy data on the vaccine, are not recommended for vaccination. The JCVI has not yet provided any further advice on children under the age of 12 years old. Any further recommendations on vaccinating children with other underlying conditions will be reviewed after the initial phase. At this stage additional data should allow a better assessment of risks and benefits.