Letting children catch Covid may be safer than giving them vaccine, say experts

A member of the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) says allowing children to catch COVID-19 may be better than exposing them to the "risk" of vaccines, reported The Telegraph.

Children may be "better protected by natural immunity generated through infection," according to Robert Dingwall, adding that the "risk/benefit for teenagers must be firmly established" before any decisions are taken.

The JCVI has been asked to draw up advice for UK lawmakers about whether those aged between 12 and 18 should be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Last month, The Telegraph reported that the committee was unwilling to sign off on such actions, at least until there is more global data assessing their safety in children.

The UK government has procured enough doses of Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine to inoculate all children aged between 12 and 17, but it awaits a formal recommendation from the JCVI.

Alternatives under discussion include offering jabs to those aged 16 and 17, and to younger children suffering from health conditions that make them more vulnerable.