Only a quarter of parents plan to have their child vaccinated against Covid-19 when Britain’s jab rollout for those aged five to 11 starts next month, new research indicates.
The parents are expected to snub the vaccine offer - despite the UK seeing rising cases and an increase in hospital admissions.
According to figures from the Office For National Statistics, Covid infection levels in children were highest in those aged two years old to school year 6, at 4.2%.
Research by polling firm Findout now.co.uk for the Mail on Sunday found that 33% were undecided and 30% said they would not get the jab for their child.
Around half a million five to 11-year-olds (clinically at risk) have been eligible for a jab since January but the rollout will open that up to six million more children.
Responding to the findings, GP and author Dr Philippa Kaye said: “I would strongly encourage parents to get their children vaccinated.
“People are thinking about the risk of Covid, which thankfully is very mild in young children, but children are getting long Covid, which is a real concern.
“Most commonly, that manifests itself as fatigue but there are other symptoms too.
"We should not risk children missing more school because they are unwell.”
An 11-year-old girl, Tillie from London, spoke to the BBC about the impact of long Covid after she was struck down by the virus back in December 2020, leaving her in hospital for weeks and plunging in weight.
Talking about her health now, Tillie from London said she feels sick “all the time”, has belly aches, leg aches, headaches and “pain in my eyes.”
She said: “I used to love running about and going out but I don’t feel like doing that and I don’t feel like myself anymore.
“I hope I get better but you don’t really know because I always ask my mum when is it going to end and I always ask the doctors but they just don’t know, nobody knows and it makes me really upset because nobody knows.”
An estimated 117,000 children aged under 16 in the UK are said to have suffered long Covid, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Latest ONS figures also show covid infections are increasing across the UK, with about one in 25 people infected.
The hardest-hit currently are those in Scotland, where 300,000 people - one in 18 - have coronavirus, the highest level recorded during the pandemic.
The most common strain in the UK is thought to be a sub-variant of Omicron, called BA.2.
Some scientists have blamed it on the increased transmissibility of this variant, the recent Government easing of restrictions including the legal requirement to self-isolate and the waning immunity from the vaccines could.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced last month that immuno-compromised people, care home residents and anyone aged at least 75 would be offered a fourth dose of a vaccine in April.
But experts have been calling this to be extended.
Millions are enduring lockdowns again in China, where the virus started after the country sees the worst outbreak in two years.
