The NHS has drawn up contingency plans to vaccinate secondary school children against Covid later this year, in a move that could help prevent school closures if infections rise after the lifting of lockdown.
The proposal is included in “core planning scenario” documents compiled by NHS officials which show that a single dose could be offered to children aged 12 and over when the new school year starts.
Any decision to roll out the vaccine to children in that age group will depend on advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, the Sunday Times reported.
The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, appeared to confirm on Sunday that such as plan was under consideration. He told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday he would not speculate beyond the existing road map, but said: “You’re right that we’re looking at all the different contingencies to make sure that the easing-up of the restrictions, the returning to normal, can be done in a safe and secure way.”
Covid infection rates among 10- to 19-year-olds are far lower than in the last wave of the pandemic, but they…
