As the NHS ramps up its efforts to boost the country’s immunity against Covid-19, eligible clinically vulnerable children are being invited to have their first Covid vaccination.

Children aged 5 -11 who are in a clinical risk group or who live with someone who is in immunosuppressed will be able to get the first dose of the Covid vaccine in line with advice set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Thousands of clinically vulnerable children aged 5-11 across the NHS are now able to have Covid-19 vaccinations as of this week.

Nationally, around 500,000 children will be eligible.

Eligible children include those with diabetes, immunosuppression, learning disabilities, and other conditions as outlined by the UK Health Security Agency in the Green Book.

Parents and guardians should wait for the NHS to contact them for when it is their child’s turn to get the life-saving vaccine with local NHS teams already contacting those who are eligible.

Ruth Ashmore, director of commissioning and executive lead for the vaccination programme for NHS England and NHS Improvement East of England, said:

“The vaccine remains our best defence against Covid so it’s great that the most at-risk children can now receive their first vaccination.

“Covid vaccines are safe and effective offering significant protection against severe illness.

“The latest UK Health Security Agency data shows that two weeks after getting a booster, you are 89% less likely to end up in hospital with Covid than if you are unvaccinated.”

In line with national guidance, patient information is sent out to parents and guardians with information on the COVID-19 vaccination.

Parents and guardians are asked to attend with their children and are asked to read the patient information in advance of arriving for their appointment.

Eligible children in this cohort will get a second dose eight weeks after their first dose and can’t receive any vaccination until four weeks after a positive test for coronavirus.

More than 13.5 million vaccination doses have now been administered across the east of England but with the Omicron variant still widespread within the region, the NHS is urging all those yet to have their first dose to come forward.

People aged 16 and 17 can also secure their booster appointment two months after their second dose, with more than half of those eligible in this age group having already received their top-up protection.