12-15 year olds in Gibraltar will be offered the COVID-19 vaccine once this has been approved by the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
Last month, the UK regulator MHRA approved the Pfizer jab for use on this demographic. The UK’s vaccine committee now needs to take a decision, but is yet to so.
On the Rock, the Government has confirmed it will follow suit, if the UK committee approves it.
Though there is not enough vaccine stock in Gibraltar to cater for the vaccination of 12-15 year olds, the Government has told GBC that the UK will supply the Rock with additional Pfzer vaccines, if approved by its vaccination committee.
At present, the UK is only offering jabs to 12-15 year olds with severe neuro-disabilities.
In Europe however, the rollout to 12 year-old's and over has begun, with 20 European countries, including Spain and France signing up to administer the vaccine to those in this age bracket. Further afield, the US has already given a first dose of the Pfizer to 30% of its 12-15 year old citizens. However, some are hesitant, Portugal, for example, has not given the shot vaccine to any youngsters.
Outbreaks of the virus have increased in educational settings in the UK over the last week. Here on the Rock, of the ten cases identified this week, two of them were in the 10-15 year old age range.
A decision from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is expected imminently, however until then, no date can be set for the vaccine to be offered to this age group in Gibraltar.