Official vaccine advisers consider margin of benefit too small to support vaccination of entire age group
Ministers could for the first time defy the advice of their official vaccine advisers and push ahead with Covid jabs for all 12- to 15-year-olds, after the scientific body concluded the net health benefit in vaccinating the age group was too small.
In a move that highlights a growing divide between government and scientific advisers over the next phase of the vaccination programme, ministers will seek extra evidence which may help overturn the watchdog’s verdict.