Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential (a) merits of reducing the recommended 12-week interval for receiving a second covid-19 vaccination for people under the age of 18 and not in a high risk group and (b) impact of that reduction on the level of availability of the second vaccination for other people awaiting their second dose before 30 June 2023.

The Government is guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on vaccine provision at a population level, including the interval period for COVID-19 vaccination doses for the under 18s.

The JCVI carefully considers and assesses the emerging evidence around the risks and benefits of vaccination to younger people before advising of the appropriate dosing schedule. For under 18s who are not in a high-risk group, a 12-week interval has been recommended by the JCVI.

There remains sufficient capacity to meet current demand for first and second dose COVID vaccination and we would encourage all those aged 5 years and over who have not yet received their first or second dose to come forward for a vaccination before the offer ends on 30 June 2023.