Covid vaccines now available for five to 11-year olds in England

Parents and carers of five to 11-year olds in England can book a low-dose Covid vaccine for their children from Saturday morning.

Jabs can be booked online from 07:00 BST, and will be available to receive from hundreds of sites from Monday.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland already offer the jabs.

In general, most children are not at high risk of becoming severely ill from Covid.

In February, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation said vaccines should go ahead to prevent "a very small number of children from serious illness and hospitalisation" in a future wave of Covid.

It recommends two doses of the low-dose vaccine, 12 weeks apart, with some five million children now eligible.

The vaccine - which contains just a third of the adult dose - has already been used widely in other countries.

Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and deputy lead for the NHS Covid-19 vaccination programme, said vaccines remained the best defence against the virus.

She added: "My 13-year-old son has had his two vaccinations, and I'll be booking my 10-year-old daughter in for hers at the earliest opportunity, and would encourage all parents to read the NHS information available and consider doing the same."

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: "From Monday, the NHS will be rolling out the non-urgent offer for Covid vaccines for all children aged five to 11 in England.

"Parents, if they want, can take up the offer for their children to increase protection against Covid, as we learn to live with this virus.

"Children without underlying health conditions are at low risk of serious illness from Covid, and the priority remains for the NHS to offer vaccines and spring boosters to adults and vulnerable young people, as well as to catch up with other childhood immunisation programmes."

Most appointments will be available at local vaccination centres and community pharmacies. Options for walk-in jabs will also be on offer.

Parents and guardians of eligible children will be sent invitations from the NHS in the next few weeks.

Young children who have conditions that put them at increased risk from Covid, or who live with people with weakened immune systems, have already been offered jabs.