Children aged five to 11 in England will be offered a Covid vaccine, the government has announced.
It follows advice from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
Sajid Javid, the health secretary, said the vaccine programme will be rolled out to include children in that age group at some point during April.
The decision follows similar moves in Scotland and Wales.
“Children without underlying health conditions are at low risk of serious illness from Covid-19 and the priority remains for the NHS to offer vaccines and boosters to adults and vulnerable young people, as well as to catch-up with other childhood immunisation programmes,” Javid said.
“The NHS will prepare to extend this non-urgent offer to all children during April so parents can, if they want, take up the offer to increase protection against potential future waves of Covid-19 as we learn to live with this virus.”
It is understood precise details of the expansion of the vaccine programme will be set out soon.
The UK medical regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), approved the Pfizer vaccine for use in children five to 11 last year.
The MHRA announced in December that a special “paediatric formulation” of the Pfizer vaccine was safe for use among that group.
They will be offered a much lower dose of the vaccine than what is offered to adults or children aged 12 and over.
Boris Johnson is due next Wednesday to announce the lifting of all domestic Covid rules in England, including the requirement to self-isolate after testing positive.
Javid’s announcement came just hours after Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that Scottish children aged five and over will be offered the vaccine.
She said: “Discussions with health boards on the best way of delivering vaccinations to five- to 11-year-olds have already begun. These will continue and we will provide further information when this approach is finalised. In the meantime, parents and carers of children aged between five and 11 need not do anything.
“This draft advice does not affect children in the five- to 11-year-old age group who have specific medical conditions which place them at greater risk from Covid-19. This group is already being vaccinated.”