Medical officers recommend Covid vaccines for older children

The benefit of vaccinating younger people was an “important and potentially useful additional tool” England’s chief medical officer has announced.

Chris Whitty said it was not a “silver bullet” but would help reduce the impact on the disruption to education, and on their physical and mental health.

He was addressing a news conference with the devolved medical offers as they recommended a "universal offer" to give Covid vaccines to the 12 to 15-year-olds who have not been offered the jab so far.

It is up to the four nations to decide if they would follow this advice.