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Original poster

Surprised at healthy people saying they won’t send dc to school until there’s a vaccination

288 replies

sunshineanddaffodils · 21/04/2020 08:47

I absolutely understand that if your dc has a health condition there’s no way you would put in any situation where they could catch covid. Likewise if you or your partner have a health condition or other vulnerable dc. However I am baffled as to why you would not want your healthy dc getting back to school and their friends ASAP but want to wait for a vaccination. That could be years! As long as the vulnerable population remains safe self isolating I cannot understand why there is such horror at the thought of schools reopening.

OP posts:
Original poster
sunshineanddaffodils · 21/04/2020 18:13

@MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously I assume your dc is very young and at primary school?

OP posts:
MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 21/04/2020 18:14

I'm waiting until our figures aren't in the hundreds every day

MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 21/04/2020 18:15

No, my DD is year 7 sunshine

Hadenoughfornow · 21/04/2020 18:22

Some of the ‘healthy’ younger people dying are overweight and obese, which apparently makes you more likely to suffer a huge inflammatory response to the virus.

Please post a link to the research / statistics before making claims like this.

Original poster
sunshineanddaffodils · 21/04/2020 18:25

I’m just surprised that anyone with a dc at secondary school would keep them off so can still visit older family members. It’s so detrimental to kids development not being able to mix with their peers plus they desperately need independence from family from this age. I know everyone is entitled to their opinions but this has been such an eye opener.

OP posts:
Hadenoughfornow · 21/04/2020 18:26

My child's life is more important than her education.

So's mine. That's why they never go out, rooms are padded so they can't hurt themselves. I keep them separate so they can't hurt themselves. They live in a sterile environment so they can't pick up any bug etc etc.

Oh no wait- that's not true. You're right - you love your child more than I love mine, just because I am prepared to take the chance and let them live before a vaccine is found Shock

EasyPleasey · 21/04/2020 18:29

I wont be having a covid vaccination, nor will my kids and I've heard lots of others say the same, on the grounds that it may have been rushed out and I'd rather catch the illness than gamble on a new vaccine.

We have had all the other vaccinations.

drspouse · 21/04/2020 18:30

I'm waiting until our figures aren't in the hundreds every day
Deaths? Or infections?
If more people die because lockdown is stopped, but also more people are being treated, so the proportion dying is lower, will you keep them off again, or still send them?
How low does it have to be?
What if it doesn't get that low for years?

EasyPleasey · 21/04/2020 18:30

I would be happy for schools to open now and my kids to attend, they are more at risk from a road accident than covid.

Hadenoughfornow · 21/04/2020 18:31

I wont be having a covid vaccination, nor will my kids and I've heard lots of others say the same, on the grounds that it may have been rushed out and I'd rather catch the illness than gamble on a new vaccine.

Now that is just idiotic! Even though I am not scared for my kids, if there is a vaccine and its safe, of course they are going to get it. Just like every other vaccine they have had - and every single one of them is safe.

LittleFoxKit · 21/04/2020 18:33

What we need is the government to pull their heads out the arses and put in place proactive response and interventions.

This article was shared by a acquaintance who works in medical research (after deciding to retire from active medical practice) and is currently a leading researcher on containment practice (theyve done loads of interviews on tv and radio recently on the response to covid).

I personally when reading the article really felt it highlighted the responses in countries which have had a very limited impact of Covid and therefore quickly got infection and death rates down, compared to countries like Italy, the UK and USA which have had very limited interventions.

www.fast.ai/2020/04/13/masks-summary/

byebyebeautiful · 21/04/2020 18:47

I wont be having a covid vaccination, nor will my kids and I've heard lots of others say the same, on the grounds that it may have been rushed out and I'd rather catch the illness than gamble on a new vaccine

This is called 'survival of the fittest'

flirtygirl · 21/04/2020 18:54

It will almost definitely have been rushed.

Waiting for a vaccine to have proven efficacy is not idiotic or stupid. Vaccines are great things when done well and done properly.

The people calling other idiotic and stupid are incredibly shortsighted and it's that knee jerk reaction that pushes thoughtful middle ground people away. Thinking about vaccination and checking that it is right for you and yours, does not make you a anti-vaxxer.

GrumpyHoonMain · 21/04/2020 18:57

I am very pro-vaccine usually but there is no way I will let my DC have this one.

MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 21/04/2020 18:57

I'm not keeping her home just so she can see her grandparents. But going to school too soon means that she never will!
Hadenoughfornow if you want to take the chance with your child, that's your prerogative, but mine is staying home until both deaths and infections are much lower. I can't say how low is low enough just yet because this is such a changeable situation.
Sunshine, I don't want to keep her home for longer than is necessary. I'm a former teacher and am well aware of how important school is. But it's not the most important thing.
I can't protect my DC from everything, but there are too many unknowns with CV for us to calculate this risk accurately and I'm not trusting the govt to be totally forthcoming. So I would prefer to be overcautious than not cautious enough.

Northernsoulgirl45 · 21/04/2020 18:59

Well it would appear that obesity per se isn't the issue but since when soes that stop those kind of sweeping generalisations. But more the conditions like heart disease and diabetes that result in poorer outcome. Also issue with ventilation.

Northernsoulgirl45 · 21/04/2020 19:00

Meant fo say conditions potentially related to obesity.

Hadenoughfornow · 21/04/2020 19:04

I would be surprised if vaccine was rolled out to children 1st - generally anyway

They are lowest risk.

MorganKitten · 21/04/2020 19:07

@Quartz2208 yes the OP

However I am baffled as to why you would not want your healthy dc getting back to school and their friends ASAP but want to wait for a vaccination.

ALongHardWinter · 21/04/2020 19:10

A lot of school age children live in households where there are vulnerable family members. My friend is in the 'vulnerable group' and she has a 13 year old daughter. She is worried sick about the rumours that the schools may be reopening in May. She said what is the point of her isolating herself for 6 weeks (so far) if her daughter is going to be going to school everyday,bringing god knows what back with her?

Popcornriver · 21/04/2020 19:24

Neither of my children have underlying heath conditions but I'm unsure if I would send them back to school when they reopen. It will depend on the circumstances at the time. It won't be when hundreds of people are dying of the virus each day in the UK. If social distancing is to stay to keep the population safe when the schools open then it's a no. It's impossible to keep infants at a safe distance from each other in a full school and my eldest would be travelling on a packed bus.

Hopefully the lock down will give us a chance at finding more effective treatments. It's not just worrying about fatality rates but the long lasting effects of the virus. Because it's new, not enough is known about it so I'd prefer to wait and see. When it comes to my children, it's my choice. I'll assess the risks myself when the time comes as I'd expect other parents to do so.

Fluffybutter · 21/04/2020 19:25

There will be contingency in place for children of those who have to shield ..

Bartlet · 21/04/2020 19:27

An issue with opening schools is that it will make the attainment gap widen considerably in many cases. Most of the people I know who fall into the “keep them at home until vaccine” camp are very poor at assessing risk, not well educated and will fail spectacularly at home educating. Their kids will fall further and further behind whilst the others are getting on with their lives and education.

Hadenoughfornow · 21/04/2020 19:30

I would say that to open schools they need to also set up proper online teaching.

It may not be the normal class teacher who is delivering it. But it is not fair to the kids who can't go to school.

I don't know how realistic that is & I'm not a teacher...........

LittleFoxKit · 21/04/2020 19:31

Hopefully the lock down will give us a chance at finding more effective treatments. It's not just worrying about fatality rates but the long lasting effects of the virus.

Other countries and research have already found better and more effective ways to limit the risk and rate of infection, but as we cant even get PPE to.medical staff, we have absolutely no hope of mimicking the best practice which has prevented pandemics of UK/italy/USA proportions in other countries...

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