Vulnerable must be prioritised as vaccine rolled out to all children

2 mins read

Thursday 17 February 2022

Tags: covid, vaccination

All children in England and Northern Ireland aged five to 11 are eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine, the government has announced.

Following similar announcements in Wales and Scotland earlier this week, this means that all UK children aged five and up will have the chance to receive the jab.

Parents will need to give their consent for their child to get the vaccine.

This news will provide an extra step in protecting at-risk and clinically vulnerable children. It will help parents feel more confident about a return to school after nearly two years of disrupted education.

We continue to hear from parents struggling to get a vaccine for children who are at risk and clinically vulnerable. These children have been eligible for a vaccine since an announcement in December 2021.

We reported earlier this month that practitioners have started to invite at-risk children for their jab. Parents should not still be battling to get access to the vaccine, without which many vulnerable children are unable to return to normal life.

If you think your clinically vulnerable child is eligible for a vaccine now, but you haven’t received an invite, contact your GP or health service.

You might also be able to take your child to a walk-in appointment. It’s important to be aware that not every site will be able to offer vaccination for this group. So please use the online walk-in site finder to make sure you choose a site vaccinating 5-11 years olds.

Take a look at our FAQs for vaccinating high-risk children aged 5-11 for more information.