First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has welcomed the announcement from vaccine experts, who have advised that 16 and 17-year-olds should be offered coronavirus jabs.

The timeline for when youngsters should get their second dose is yet to be set, however JCVI has said it will make further recommendations in the coming weeks.

The change in guidance means around 1.4 million teenagers across the UK will be eligible.

Following the announcement on Wednesday, Ms Sturgeon tweeted: “This is good news and a step forward that I’ve been hoping for. I also hope evidence will allow JCVI to recommend vaccine for wider groups of young people in future – but in meantime ⁦@scotgov⁩ will get on with offering it to all 16/17 yr olds ASAP.”

It has since been announced that from Friday August 6, people who are 16 or 17 in mainland Scotland will be invited to register their interest through the online portal at NHS Inform, and will then be sent an appointment via SMS or email.

 

READ MORE: Covid Scotland: JCVI set to approve vaccines for over 16-year-olds

Eligible young people in Shetland, Orkney and Western Isles will be contacted by their health board and invited to attend clinics.

Alternatively, drop-in clinics will be available for 16 to 17-years-olds. The start date for clinics opening for this age group will be confirmed shortly.

Anyone who doesn’t register an interest or attend a drop-in clinic, once open, will be sent an appointment invitation through the post. It is expected that everyone in this age group will have been offered a vaccination appointment by the end of September.

Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said: “In line with the latest JCVI advice we will now be offering a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination to young people aged between 16 and 17.

“The programme has always carefully assessed all the benefits and potential risks and offered vaccine to groups where this benefit is clear. The research and evidence shows that is the case for this age group and they should now be called forward for an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine.

“We will continue to follow the expert JCVI advice and will await the outcome of analysis of data on second doses for this age group and any additional future advice on vaccination for those in the 12-15 age group.”

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf added: “Getting vaccinated has never been easier and from Friday, 16 and 17-year-olds in mainland Scotland will be able to book an appointment through the online portal. We know drop-in clinics are a convenient way for young people to get vaccinated and will announce shortly when these clinics will be open for this age group.

“Vaccination continues to be the best way to protect yourself and those around you and I urge anyone who is eligible to take up the offer of the vaccine.

“The national vaccination programme has been a huge success and without doubt, represents our best way out of the pandemic.”

Professor Wei Shen Lim, Covid-19 chair of the JCVI, said while wider society can benefit from teenagers being jabbed, the primary focus informing the new advice was the benefits to younger people.

He told a Downing Street briefing: “When considering vaccination programmes for children and young people, JCVI’s main focus is the balance of potential benefits and harms for the individuals being vaccinated.

“Vaccination of children and young people can bring benefits to other people, such as adults and including parents and grandparents but, at the forefront, is the health and the benefits to children and young people themselves.”

He said a range of factors had been considered when forming the JCVI’s latest advice, including the frequency and severity of adverse reactions after vaccination, the frequency of severe Covid in children – something he said is “extremely rare” – and the occurrence of long Covid.

He added that 16-year-olds were able to get the jab without parental consent “if they are competent and able to consent for themselves”.

The only vaccine approved for those under-18 in the UK is Pfizer-BioNTech.