Wales joins Scotland in vaccinating half of 12 to 15-year-olds

An estimated 50.9 per cent of 12 to 15-year-olds had received their first jab by November 15, according to Public Health Wales.

Scotland was the first nation to give a jab to half its young teenagers, passing the milestone on October 21.

Take-up in Scotland currently stands at 56.7 per cent.

(PA Graphics)

Both Wales and Scotland way ahead of England, which has given a first dose to 36.3 per cent of 12 to 15-year-olds, and Northern Ireland, which is on 22.9 per cent.

The figures have been published by the four UK health agencies.

Vaccines have been rolled out to young teenagers in different ways across the four countries.

In Wales, first doses have been available to 12 to 15-year-olds from October 4.

Most are being given at vaccination centres with a small number in schools.

Meanwhile, doses have been available to 12 to 15-year-olds in Scotland since September 20, and have been delivered mostly at drop-in clinics and other community settings.

The rollout in England also began on September 20, but was initially delivered mainly by NHS teams in schools.

This changed just before the half-term holiday when parents and children became able to book a jab online at a local vaccination centre.

(PA Graphics)

In Northern Ireland, 12 to 15-year-olds have been offered the vaccine in schools since early October.

Figures are calculated slightly differently in the four nations, with Wales and England using age groups based on their national immunisation databases, and Scotland and Northern Ireland using the latest official population estimates.