WHETHER children should be vaccinated against covid raises “really serious issues” .

Mark Drakeford told a press conference that health boards across Wales were putting forward plans on how a booster campaign could be run this autumn, as well as how children aged over 12 could be vaccinated.

However, with children as less risk of becoming ill it would be adults that would benefit from them being vaccinated.

This, said Mr Drakeford, created an ethical dilemma.

“But that does rely on the advice of the JCVI, we were expecting that advice by about now, we now know that it’s going to be delayed until the end of the month,” Mr Drakeford said.

“That is partly because there are really serious issues to be thought through on safety on the one hand, safety of the vaccine for children, and ethical issues as well – for whose benefit are children being vaccinated?”

Mr Drakeford said children at the bottom of the age range were “very unlikely” to become ill and “very, very unlikely” to fall seriously ill with Covid-19.

However, he said children transmit the virus to people who could catch it and experience more serious consequences.

“Is it ethically right to vaccinate children – because there is always a risk in vaccination – not because it will do them any good but because it will protect adults?” Mr Drakeford said.

“I think those are quite tricky ethical questions and it’s part of the reason why the JCVI has decided to take a bit longer in giving us their advice.”