of the uk, schools have been going back in recent days and into next week and beyond. so, the key thing is how that may or may not change case numbers. and there has been a decision on friday, or at least a decision to look further at the evidence for vaccinating children at least teenage children but what s the thinking behind that? well, it s a really important decision for the uk. the expert committee, thejoint committee on vaccination and immunisation, independent, was asked to say what are the benefits and risks of vaccinations for 12 15 year olds. and they have come up with a rather qualified conclusion, which is that the health benefits marginally outweigh the risks, but they are not going to go any further than that. in the past, they have given the thumbs up to 16 and i7 year olds and other groups before that. so the result of that is that the uk s chief medical officer will now have to draw
will be able to overrule patents when it comes to deciding whether or not they, the children, have covid vaccines. thejoint committee on vaccination and immunisation said it doesn t back a blanket vaccination programme for those in the age group 12-15, but this programme for those in the age group 12 15, but this is potentially going to cause some tensions within households, isn t it? this astounds me. when households, isn t it? this astounds me- when i households, isn t it? this astounds me. when i was households, isn t it? this astounds me. when i was 12, households, isn t it? this astounds me. when i was 12, obviously - households, isn t it? this astounds me. when i was 12, obviously not l me. when i was 12, obviously not that long ago. i couldn t be trusted to choose between a blackcurrant lollipop and a strawberry lollipop, so the idea that i would have been trusted with this kind of medical decision for myself fills me with horror. one more manifestation of the complete ind
saying the health benefits were marginal. it s believed the government think there s a strong case for going ahead. here s our health correspondent, catherine burns. america has been doing it since may. more than 10 million 12 15 year olds there have had a covid vaccine. other countries are, too, including canada, brazil, france, the netherlands, italy but not the uk. regulators approved vaccines as safe and effective for this age group in the summer, but thejoint committee on vaccination and immunisation s job is to decide if it s necessary. its answer not for every iz is year old. for the healthy children, the risk benefit balance is really very uncertain and very tight. normally what we do when we recommend vaccination for children is we see a very clear benefit that clearly outweighs any possible risk. and in the absence of that clear blue water, if you like,
here s our health correspondent catherine burns. america has been doing it since may. more than 10 million 12 to 15 year olds there have had a covid vaccine. other countries are, too, including canada, brazil, france, the netherlands, italy but not the uk. regulators approved vaccines as safe and effective for this age group in the summer, but thejoint committee on vaccination and immunisation s job is to decide if it s necessary. its answer not for every iz is year old. for the healthy children, the risk benefit balance is really very uncertain and very tight. normally what we do when we recommend vaccination for children is we see a very clear benefit that clearly outweighs any possible risk. and in the absence of that clear blue water, if you like, between those two, we prefer to advise that healthy children should not for the moment be immunised. covid doesn t tend to make children very sick, so the benefits
more on our top story the chief medical officers of the four uk nations are expected to decide within the next few days whether to offer covid jabs to all 12 15 year olds. yesterday, advisers on thejoint committee on vaccination and immunisation decided against recommending the measure, saying the benefits on health grounds alone were small. earlier i spoke to katie hill, who is a mum of two children aged 12 and 13. she would like to see them vaccinated. we are going to have to live with cobra in some form or another, and we need to mitigate the risks by vaccination, facemasks in public places. i ve spoken to both my children about you and they are both keen to have the vaccine if and when they offered it. keen to have the vaccine if and when they offered it they offered it. from your point of view, an they offered it. from your point of view. any sense they offered it. from your point of view, any sense there s they offered it. from your point of view, any sense there s not i