News Round-Up
5 May 2024
by Will Jones
Almost a quarter of a million English children have already had a Covid vaccine, according to new figures, with some clinics vaccinating 16 year-olds – accompanied by a parent – at walk-up appointments.
Nicola Sturgeon says the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation could update its advice on the vaccination of children "in days" and hopes the roll-out will be extended to 16 and 17 year-olds.
A new U.K. clinical trial will recruit pregnant women in order to determine the most suitable gap between giving the two Covid vaccine doses to this cohort and will study the potential side effects on their babies.
Talks on the use of vaccine passports in Australia are gearing up – proof of full vaccination will soon be needed for fans to visit major sporting venues.
The NHS is looking to redistribute Covid vaccine doses, as slowing take-up rates among young Brits means up to 170,000 Moderna doses are at risk of reaching their expiry dates.
Millions of Brits will be offered a Pfizer vaccine booster later this year, even if their first two doses were from another provider, because it has proved to be more effective against the Delta Covid variant.
Andrew Bridgen MP has criticised the Government for "trying to aggressively coerce young people" into getting 'jabbed' with threats of vaccine passports, but says the plans would not pass through the House of Commons.
Reports suggest that some criticism of the Government on vaccine passports is coming from within cabinet, as the number of Tory MPs expected to vote against the PM’s plans has upped slightly to more than 50.
Plans for unvaccinated university students to be barred from attending lectures and from living in halls have been dropped, according to reports, despite Dominic Raab saying no decision would be made until September.
Spectators at music festivals and circuses are being encouraged to get vaccinated against Covid at pop-up clinics, with some offering free food to those who get 'jabbed', in an attempt to boost take-up in young Brits.
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