UK decision on Covid vaccine boosters expected on Thursday | Corona Virus

[ad_1]

The UK’s vaccine watchdog is expected to make a decision on Thursday on a booster vaccine program for Covid, as ministers hope that approval of vaccinations for children aged 12-15 can follow soon.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) is scheduled to meet Thursday to examine interim results from the Cov-Boost study, which looks at the effect of one of seven different vaccines as a third dose, plus the Pfizer, Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines.

The research, which is being run by the University of Southampton, is seen as a major component of JCVI’s deliberations, as the government prepares to launch an immediate program of large-scale booster cakes if approved.

Some scientists say there is limited evidence for the effectiveness of such strikes bypassing people with clinical weaknesses, although countries such as Israel are moving forward with population-wide reinforcements.

It is understood that JCVI members will not be shown any meeting materials before late Wednesday, in an effort to prevent leaks.

A week ago, the JCVI approved a third vaccine for half a million people with severely compromised immune systems, although this was presented as separate from an official booster programme.

Ministers are also awaiting news on children aged 12 to 15, after the JCVI said on Friday that the evidence for the clinical benefits of vaccinating this age group was not strong enough to recommend it.

The panel instead suggested that ministers ask the UK’s four chief medical officers to examine broader factors such as the potential impact of school disruptions.

Javid said on Wednesday he expected a decision on the children from the UK’s four chief medical officers within days.

He told Sky News: “I want to give them some breathing space, it’s their independent view and that’s exactly what it should be. But I expect to hear from them in the next few days.”

He said that consent will be sought from the parents of children aged 12-15 as it has been “for decades,” but if the children and their parents do not agree, the child’s opinion will take precedence as long as they are sufficiently competent to decide.

He said: If there is a difference of opinion between the child and his parents, we have specialists working in this field, the vaccination service in schools. They usually literally sit with the parent and child, and try to come to some kind of consensus.

“If it doesn’t work in the end, because we believe the child is competent enough to make that decision, then the child will prevail.”

Javid also said he was “very confident” that the UK would have an enhanced program so that the elderly could take a third blow.

cases

He told Sky News: “In terms of who actually gets it and when, we’re waiting for the final advice that could come, for sure, in the next few days from JCVI.”

He said the advice was expected to include information about whether people should get different vaccines than those they already have, adding: “I’m confident we can start the booster program this month.”

[ad_2]