COVID: Vaccines for children aged 5 to 11 are now available in England

Starting today, children aged 5 to 11 in England can get vaccinated.NHS informs that these doses can be booked online from various sites and will be available in abundance. Over 5 million children are eligible for the doses.

Low dose COVID vaccine

Low dose vaccines are available for children in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Children in other nations have also received low-dose immunisations and are safe.

Vaccine advisors in the UK describe the dose to ‘future-proof children's defences.’ NHS says:

Two doses gives stronger and longer-lasting protection against future COVID-19 variants.

Your child will be completely vaccinated against COVID after two doses, 12 weeks apart. The dose of the children’s vaccine, is a third of the adult dosage.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid explains:

Children without underlying health conditions are at low risk of serious illness from COVID, and the priority remains for the NHS to offer vaccines and spring boosters to adults and vulnerable young people, as well as to catch up with other childhood immunisation programmes.

Read more:

⋙ Covid: New Omicron variant XE found in the UK, here’s what experts are saying

⋙ Pfizer: South Africa is throwing thousands of COVID vaccines, this is why

⋙ COVID-19: If you've never had COVID-19, you're likely to have relationship issues

NHS sending appointment invites

The NHS will send out invitations to qualified guardians in the coming days. It is currently available at community pharmacies and local vaccination clinics.

Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and deputy lead for the NHS Covid-19 vaccination programme adds:

My 13-year-old son has had his two vaccinations, and I'll be booking my 10-year-old daughter in for hers at the earliest opportunity, and would encourage all parents to read the NHS information available and consider doing the same.

Children who live with immunocompromised adults have already received their dosage.