FORMER Education Minister Peter Weir has said he believes Stormont should follow the Republic's lead and offer children over 12 the covid vaccine.
The Irish government yesterday extended Covid vaccines to children aged between 12 and 15 years of age.
The Cabinet accepted advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) that recommends the extension of the vaccination programme to more children in their teens.
Teenagers aged 16 and 17 could register for a Covid-19 vaccine appointment iin the state from yesterday.
Writing on Twitter the DUP MLA said the highest number of people in Northern Ireland’s intensive care units are the young and middle aged.
Figures released by the Department of Health earlier this week show that more than 60 per cent of those receiving care have not been vaccinated.
“No one is invulnerable,” said Mr Weir. “Don’t be in a hospital bed or looking over a loved one in a bed, wishing you had got the vaccine. Get the jab now.
“The Republic are set to offer the option of the vaccine for all over 12s, subject to parental wishes.
“I believe this will reduce community transmission and will reduce school absences in the new term. In the UK we need to make the same offer.”
Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster’s Evening Extra, Mr Weir said it was not about imposing the vaccine on parents and their children, but giving them the opportunity to get the jab if they wish.
“If we see large numbers of infections within society - even if there is a low level of hospitalisation - that’s likely to have a knock on effect in terms of disruption of education," he said.
Mr Weir added that the “scale of disruption” to the education sector will be greater if a precautionary approach is not taken.