THERE are “really serious issues” to consider on whether children should be vaccinated against Covid-19, Wales’ first minister has said.

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.

“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?”

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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.”

The Welsh Government will also not make it compulsory for care staff to have a Covid-19 vaccination.

Mr Drakeford said over 90 per cent of care home staff have had a first dose and nearly 90 per cent have had a second dose.

“We already have very high levels of take-up of the vaccination amongst care home staff and we’ve done that by persuasion and by conversation and voluntarily,” he told Sky News.

“So we’re pressing ahead to try to make sure we have those remaining staff members offered the vaccine, taking up the vaccine, but if you can do it voluntarily then I think that is a much stronger basis from which to go on persuading people to do the right thing.

“I certainly think that they ought to, that’s definitely our position here, but there is a very big step taken when you move into compulsion.

“Our belief is that actually it would undermine our programme in Wales, which has been the most successful in the UK, and has been done on the basis of people knowing that when they come forward for vaccination, they are helping themselves of course but they are helping everybody else as well.

“That sense of voluntary participation in the programme is very important to us and has been part of our success.”