Wales is to offer Covid vaccinations to all children aged between 12 and 15, the Welsh Government has announced.

Eluned Morgan, minister for health and social services, told a Welsh Government briefing in Cardiff that she had accepted the advice of the UK’s chief medical officers to offer jabs to children.

Rollout of the vaccinations will begin next week she told the briefing.

Ms Morgan said: “You will remember last week the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation considered the question of vaccinating all 12 to 15-year-olds and advised against a universal vaccination programme.

“However, it did recommend the chief medical officers should look at the wider health and wellbeing benefits of vaccination for this age group.

“After careful consideration, the chief medical officers have recommended offering children and teenagers in this age group the vaccination based on public health grounds, saying it will help to reduce the disruption to their education.

“Today I have accepted this advice and we will now begin preparations to invite 12 to 15-year-olds who have not yet been vaccinated to have a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

“And that rollout will start next week.”