• Today the health and social care secretary Sajid Javid has accepted an expert recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to start offering 16 and 17 year olds in England a COVID-19 jab.
• The JCVI has not recommended vaccinating under-16s without underlying health conditions.

Responding to recent developments in the COVID-19 vaccination programme, the chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson said:

"We urge everyone, including 16 and 17 year olds, to have their COVID-19 jab when they are offered it, in line with the advice of Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

"The UK's vaccination programme has played a pivotal role in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. Our falling infection, hospitalisation and death rates are testament to this."