The UK’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) said that healthy children aged 12 to 15 should be provided one jab of a Covid vaccine.

The CMOs said that this step would help reduce disruption to education.

It comes after the government’s vaccine committee said there was not enough benefit to warrant it on health grounds alone – but they said ministers could take into account other factors.

The CMOs concluded this tipped the balance given the virus was going to keep spreading over winter.

They said while school closures were unlikely, disruption to in-person education would continue since pupils and teachers who test positive have to quarantine for 10 days.

In a letter to ministers, the CMOs warned missing face-to-face school had a “massive impact” on children, both physically, emotional and in terms of their life chances.