To ask whether you would have and give your DC the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available?

[Juniorpromdressqueen]

Apologies if this has been asked before.

I’m very pro-vax, but the thought of such a new vaccine makes me feel a bit nervous. Then again, so does the thought of coronavirus.

I was reading an article in The Atlantic about the vaccine today, and it said 21% of Americans say they won’t have the vaccine and another 30% are undecided, and it made me think about it, because my initial reaction was, “idiots!!” and then I realised that made me hypocritical, as I am nervous myself.

What would you do, if you and your family could have the vaccine at Boots tomorrow?

I'd sign my kids up for the oxford vaccine trials if they'd have them (they wont). I've already signed up as a volunteer for various trials through the covid zoe app.

You can choose to have the vaccination and hope there aren't unexpected effects or choose not to and hope it goes away. Personally I don't think the virus will go away, especially if there is low vaccine takeup, so I will be getting it as soon as I can.

Personally no. As a rule, I believe vaccinations should be given for the benefit of the person they are vaccinating.

Why would so many give to their children who are in the lowest risk (and carrier) group? That makes no sense at all.

Yes.

@ExpectTheWorst because mine are older children (early teens) and it's not always that mild for this age group. There are cases of teens getting long-tail COVID and being seriously ill for a long time.

Yep i would

@ExpectTheWorst because it's not just about them. The idea behind vaccination is to achieve herd immunity and help protect the most vulnerable.

My whole family would have it. My daughter is an intensive care doctor and she would make sure of it.

But the risk of children either getting it or passing it on is negligible (this is according to the German study made specifically for when and how the schools should reopen). So they play no role in herd immunity.

Would you be prepared to stake your life on that if you were a teacher or TA with health vulnerabilities Expect? If you were a head teacher would you be prepared to take the responsibility for betting your staff’s life on that?

If this is a 100% foolproof vaccine then that’s not a problem: the adults who are concerned about the risk of the virus get it and the the children who aren’t don’t. But that’s probably not going to be how it works.

Hang on

Hypothetically there is a vaccine.

The vulnerable teacher or TA expects the child to have it on their behalf?

Having had Covid months ago and still not 100% and seen the devastation of a friend of mines family who lost a 44 year old leaving 2 children with no parent I will chance it over the virus again.

@ExpectTheWorst older children catch and pass on the virus just as well as adults. The jury is out about younger children. I certainly dont think they have any difficulty catching it.

The Oxford one definitely, it is based on previously existing work pre covid.

I believe any vaccine will only be licensed for adults at first?

No I won’t have it and neither will my kids.

Kids absolutely get covid, they're just frequently asymptomatic and inefficient spreaders. They're also at risk of MIS-C, which is really dangerous.

Coronavirus outbreak and kids

Yes, I would. I have volunteered to be in the trial (NHS worker here). My DDs are 17 and 19 so they will choose for themselves.

I'll be first in the queue. I was in the polio vaccine trial. No side effects, just peace of mind.

My DH is in the trial and I would be too if I could get in.

Why would so many give to their children who are in the lowest risk (and carrier) group? That makes no sense at all

For the same reason they have their other vaccinations - they might be one of the children who have a mild or asymptomatic case or they might be one of the minority who has a serious case with long term health implications or even death, I'm not prepared to gamble which category they will fall into when its easy enough to protect them via vaccination.

PepperMooMoo summed up my thoughts on the matter perfectly.

Why would so many give to their children who are in the lowest risk (and carrier) group? That makes no sense at all

Even a child who is considered low risk may become seriously ill. And nobody knows what may happen in the future as a result of being infected. For all we know it could trigger autoimmune disease or even cancer for example. There isn't a risk free option.

It’s not so much that the child has to have it to protect the vulnerable teacher: it’s more that if the majority of children don’t have it the school will be unable to function at full capacity with knock on effects to the children’s education.