Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty to give evidence to Education Committee on Covid vaccination of children

• Watch the session on Parliament TV
• Education Committee

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) earlier this month concluded that the margin of benefit was too small to support universal vaccination of healthy 12 to 15 year olds. It is now up to the Chief Medical Officers of the four UK nations to advise the Government on the wider societal and educational impacts.

Chair's comments

Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP, Chair of the Education Committee, said: 

“Any decision by the Chief Medical Officer to recommend vaccination for schoolchildren needs to be properly explained if families are to maintain trust in the system. The session will be a chance for Professor Whitty to set out his thinking on the wider benefits and risks of vaccination of 12 to 15 year olds and reassure parents that any decision taken is in the best interests of their children’s welfare. He also must be clear that, as the Secretary of State said, parental consent will always be sought before vaccination.”

Witnesses

Wednesday 22 September 2021

• Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

Image: James Gathany, Judy Schmidt, USCDCP on Pixnio