In December 2021, the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) which regulates vaccines for use in the UK, approved a paediatric dose for vaccination of children aged 5-11. Therefore clinics will use a paediatric formulation of the Pfizer vaccine.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) now advise that all children aged 5-11 should be offered the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. The two paediatric doses should be offered with an interval of at least 12 weeks between doses.
NHS Scotland will be sending out appointment letters to parents and carers from 19 March 2022. Older children will be invited first and siblings will be invited together wherever possible. This will allow for second doses to be delivered before the start of the new school year, where appropriate. The letter will let you know what to do if you need to cancel or rearrange the appointment. You don’t need to book an appointment.
Children aged 5-11 who have specific medical conditions placing them at greater risk from COVID-19, or who are a household contact of someone who is immunosuppressed, are already being vaccinated. All children in this group should be offered two paediatric doses of Pfizer with an interval of 8 weeks. Those who had severe immunosuppression at the time of their first and second dose should be offered a third primary dose, ideally 8 weeks after the second dose.
All parents and carers of children in this category should have been contacted about vaccination. A leaflet has been made available in advance of appointments with answers to questions that parents and carers might have.
You can find out more about vaccines for 5-11 year olds on the NHS Inform website.