Covid: Vaccine should be given to 12 to 15-year-olds

Healthy children aged 12 to 15 should be offered one dose of a Covid vaccine, the UK's chief medical officers have recommended.

The CMOs said it would help reduce disruption to education.

It comes after the government's vaccine committee said there was not enough benefit to warrant it on health grounds alone.

The committee had said ministers could take into account other factors, such as school disruption.

The CMOs concluded this tipped the balance given the virus was going to keep spreading over winter.

Children with health conditions and those living with clinically vulnerable people have already been told they can get the vaccine.

This accounts for around one in 10 of the three million children in this age group.

The decision by the government's vaccine committee, the JCVI, came amid concerns about a small, but increased risk of heart inflammation after vaccination.

They said vaccination still offered a marginal benefit, but not sufficient enough to convince them a vaccination programme should be rolled out.

It will now be up to ministers whether to accept the recommendation of the four CMOs.