UK to offer first Pfizer dose to schoolkids from next week

A woman walks past a sign advising people of a ‘Free COVID-19 Testing’ site in south London. Pic/AFP

Schoolchildren aged between 12 and 15 years will be offered a first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine starting next week, the UK government has announced after the country’s Chief Medical Officers gave their go-ahead for the jabs for younger age groups.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said on Monday evening that ministers have accepted the advice of the four UK Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) and the National Health Service (NHS) is now preparing to deliver a schools-based vaccination programme. This will be based on what the NHS says is their “successful model” used for vaccinations including for HPV and Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP), supported by general practitioners (GPs) and community pharmacies.

“I have accepted the recommendation from the CMOs to expand vaccination to those aged 12 to 15, protecting young people from catching COVID-19, reducing transmission in schools and keeping pupils in the classroom,” said UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

“Our outstanding NHS stands ready to move forward with rolling out the vaccine to this group with the same sense of urgency we’ve had at every point,” he said.

Germany to start vaccine action week; second city in China sees surge in cases

. To counter the slowdown in COVID-19 inoculation, Germany has launched a national “vaccine action week”, offering jabs free of charge and without an appointment at public sites.

. A second city in southeastern China has seen a jump in COVID-19 cases in a Delta variant outbreak that started late last week. The National Health Commission said on Tuesday that 59 new cases had been identified in the latest 24-hour period, more than doubling the total to 102.

. Russian President Vladimir Putin will self-isolate for a certain period of time in connection with the COVID-19 cases detected in his inner circle, the Kremlin said in a statement on Tuesday.

. The Indonesian government has decided to lower the level of the four-tiered restrictions on public activities on the country’s resort island of Bali.

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