Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

UK panel says it 'would not recommend' jabbing healthy teens

UK panel says it 'would not recommend' jabbing healthy teens

THE UK government's independent advisory body on vaccines has said that it would not recommend jabbing all 12- to 15-year-olds against coronavirus, arguing the benefits were "too small".

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), a panel of experts that advises ministers, has been weighing the issue after numerous other countries began giving the jabs to young teens.


It has previously recommended giving approved Covid-19 vaccines to all 16- and 17-year-olds but only to 12- to 15-year-olds who have underlying health conditions that make them more vulnerable to the virus.

On the advice of the JCVI, Britain's four chief medical officers -- in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland -- will now provide further input ahead of a final government decision.

The committee, which focuses purely on health effects, wants them to consider the "wider societal impacts, including educational benefits" of whether to roll out vaccines to younger teens.

Schools have returned recently across Britain following the summer break, with fears that this could lead to a new surge in cases after weeks of moderate rises in infections.

In its recommendation, the JCVI argued the benefits from vaccination are "marginally greater than the potential known harms" of the inoculations, while acknowledging there was "considerable uncertainty" about those.

"The margin of benefit, based primarily on a health perspective, is considered too small to support advice on a universal programme of vaccination of otherwise healthy 12- to 15-year-old children at this time," it said.

"As longer-term data on potential adverse reactions accrue, greater certainty may allow for a reconsideration of the benefits and harms."

The recommendation contrasts with the US, which announced in May that younger teens would be vaccinated, and many European Union countries including France which have begun jabbing that age group.

All four health ministers in the UK wrote Friday (3) to their respective chief medical officers requesting they give a "broader perspective" on the issue.

"We will then consider the advice from the chief medical officers, building on the advice from the JCVI, before making a decision shortly," England's Health Secretary Sajid Javid said in a statement.

Britain began vaccinations in December last year and has jabbed nearly 89 per cent of all adults with a first dose, while more than 79 per cent have two shots.

The latest data from Public Health England and Cambridge University shows vaccines have saved more than 105,000 lives and prevented 143,600 hospitalisations and 24 million cases in England, according to the government.

More For You

UK  mini heatwave

Sunny conditions will bring early summer warmth

Getty

UK to see mini heatwave as temperatures climb towards 24 °c

The UK is set for a period of warmer weather in the coming days, with temperatures expected to rise significantly across parts of the country. According to the Met Office, a spell of dry and sunny conditions will bring early summer warmth, although it will fall short of the threshold for an official heatwave.

Temperatures in south-eastern and central England could reach 23°c to 24°c by Tuesday, around 10C above the seasonal average for some areas. The Met Office described this as a “very warm spell” rather than a heatwave, though the contrast with recent cooler weather will be noticeable.

Keep ReadingShow less
indian-army-reuters

Indian security force personnel stand guard at the site of the attack on tourists in Baisaran near Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, April 24, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Indian and Pakistani troops exchange fire along Line of Control

INDIAN and Pakistani troops exchanged fire overnight along the Line of Control in Kashmir, officials from both sides said on Friday.

The exchange took place days after a deadly attack in the region and amid calls from the United Nations for both countries to show "maximum restraint".

Keep ReadingShow less
India declares state mourning for Pope Francis, Modi leads tributes

A sculpture by Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik in Puri, Odisha, on Monday (21)

India declares state mourning for Pope Francis, Modi leads tributes

INDIA began three days of state mourning on Tuesday (22) for the Pope, a rare honour for a foreign religious leader, as prime minister Narendra Modi joined other south Asian and world leaders in paying tributes following his death on Monday (21).

Pope Francis, the 88-year-old leader of 1.4 billion Catholics across the world, died of a stroke, causing a coma and “irreversible” heart failure, the Vatican said.

Keep ReadingShow less
Minority youth face racist content online once a week, report reveals

As many as 95 per cent of respondents reported encountering violent or abusive racist content online. (Photo: iStock)

Minority youth face racist content online once a week, report reveals

MOST young people from black and minority communities in Britain encounter racist content online, a new study revealed, with more than half reporting it damages their sense of safety.

The "Youth, Race and Social Media" report published on Thursday (24) highlighted a troubling picture of online racism and its effects on young people aged 16-24.

Keep ReadingShow less
england-gp-iStock

The researchers analysed data from over 8,500 GPs between 2015 and 2021 as part of the GP work life survey. (Representational image: iStock)

GPs in England’s deprived areas face lower pay, greater pressure: Report

GPs working in the most deprived areas of England earn an average of £5,525 less per year than those in wealthier areas, according to a study by the University of Manchester published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

The researchers analysed data from over 8,500 GPs between 2015 and 2021 as part of the GP work life survey.

Keep ReadingShow less