To NOT get ‘CEV’ son vaccinated against COVID?

[Muuummm]

Just been asked by his GP to book him an appointment for his jab. He’s an adult but as he has a learning disability, I am his advocate.

He’s classed as CEV due solely to his LD as far as I can tell. He has no physical medical issues and is very fit and healthy so hasn’t shielded.

He had CV in November very mildly with only loss of taste and smell as symptoms. I’m aware there are rare cases of reinfection but I think the risk is small this side of the summer and we don’t know how long antibodies last yet so I’d rather wait for more info on the efficiency the jab in real life data.

He had the flu jab for the first time ever in December and had quite a bad reaction to it with sore throat, headaches and fatigue for a few weeks. Not sure if that was because his immune system had been fucked around by CV.

I’m definitely not an anti vaxxer but I’m more concerned about the side effects of the CV jab than him actually getting it again at the moment.

Slightly worried that if he doesn’t get the jab, I may be questioned about it as his carer.

WIBU to not let him have it at the moment (he won’t care either way)?

Just to add, he’s 19.

My family member (young, late 20s, no ill health) had it in May and just got it again. It was much more severe this time and she was hospitalised. Knowing that and wanting this all to be over, if I received an opportunity to be vaccinated, I’d take it.

Antibodies from infection have only been found to last five months. If he had covid in November, he could catch it again by April - he’d basically lose his immunity just as we are coming out of lockdown.

Presumably his CEV priority is because, if he were to become ill enough to require hospitalisation and invasive treatments, this would be incredibly traumatic for him due to his limited capacity to comprehend what’s going on? And make his recovery more difficult. My cousin has complex LDs and is receiving the vaccination shortly on that basis. I’d accept the vaccination for your DS for the same reasons. By all means do a bit of research into side effects of the vaccine: we’ve now vaccinated going in for 9 million people in the U.K. and there’s very little evidence of notable side effects. There’s no medical evidence to suggest the vaccine side effects might be worse than Covid side effects; and plenty of evidence to the contrary.

I can see why you are concerned but I think I'd go for the jab. If you turn it down now, you don't know when you will get another opportunity, and it is not clear how long any immunity lasts after having covid.

Your choice OP. As long as you’re mindful of his potential to spread the virus and take appropriate pre cautions then I understand your reasons.

The 'flu vaccine is a different vaccine and so your GP would be best placed to ask if there is correlation between reactions. They may suggest one vaccine type over another.

I appreciate how difficult this must be for you and how easy it is for internet strangers to tell you to go for vaccination. I won't be the one who has to look after your son if,as is common,he has a reaction to the jag. However,what we know about First -the limited immunity given by previous infection;Second -the high degree of efficacy of the vaccination in either preventing reinfection or strongly mitigating the effects of infection;and Three-the awfulness of the prospect of your son winding up in hospital if reinfected,I would be swayed to go for vaccination as being the only way to minimise future risk of hospitalisation.

I think maybe you may need to reassess the rarity of people getting it twice.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4150063-Ive-had-coronavirus-twice

Whatever your decision, do ensure you have based it upon sound information.

@LegoPirateMonkey

Antibodies from infection have only been found to last five months. If he had covid in November, he could catch it again by April - he’d basically lose his immunity just as we are coming out of lockdown.

It was five months because that's how long the research lasted. It may be longer some studies have shown.

OP you are right to be wary if your son had a reaction to previous vaccines. This is one the exceptions given for who should not have this one. Probably best to discuss with your GP before getting it done just in case.
Also if there are any issues or reactions they should be reported to the Yellow card scheme coronavirus-yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/

I follow Jo Whiley on social media and she has been asking everyone to sign a petition to get vaccinations early for those with learning disabilities because of the heightened risk to them. There is a story here in the nursing times too: www.nursingtimes.net/news/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine-policy-for-people-with-learning-disabilities-unfair-26-01-2021/

So although your son has had Covid (so good that he only had it mildly :) ), I would suggest you take up the offer now because the chances of it not being mild if he were to get a different variant may be higher.

(Just to say, I am not at all a medical person!)

Now that there are all these new variants I think you should take the advice of his GP and get him vaccinated, they might not protect against it but they will have a chance of giving more protection than no vaccine.

Are you his carer ? If so, you are entitled to a vaccine as well.
You need to think about the implications if he were to catch Covid and needed to go into hospital.
Also, if you are his carer how you would cope if you got Covid and still had to look after him. What if you both got it at the same time.

Just wanted to say that I get the flu jab every year as I'm an NHS employee, I always feel terrible after it for a couple of weeks and react badly. I had the first dose of the pfizer vaccine 2 weeks ago and can honestly say it was the smoothest vaccine I've ever had - administration didn't hurt at all and then had no negative effects afterwards whatsoever, wouldn't have even known I'd been vaccinated! Just thought I'd add my experience in case this is the only thing putting you off taking your DS for it.

Having an LD is a risk factor for covid. I think you'd be pretty remiss not to pursue a vaccination tbh.

I think on balance I would get it. Has he had an adverse reaction to any other vaccines in the past? I think he is more likely to be fine after the vaccine, than he is to be fine if he catches covid again

My dad had it twice...March and august. Both time he was at the hospital with breathing difficulties.

We will get more data on how effective the jab is.
But it will always be more effective than not getting it, and we are in quite high levels now.
I'd say any vaccine it is possible you will feel immune system response (flu like) but FWIW (totally anecdotally) it has been less with covid jabs in GP surgery than flu jabs (except after second Pfizer dose).
If I was you I'd take him, but I am not you.
Does he attend a day centre? Work in a place high risk of recontracting it?
If you were questioned, you answers are extremely logical and reasonable.

I'd get it done.

Honestly I think you’re doing him a disservice, even though it’s being done due to kindness and love. You can’t put him at this sort of risk by leaving him unvaccinated, and need to protect him.

The vaccine is safe op. It’s being used all over thr world. It’s been tested. Sometimes you really need to trust the scientists.

I mean how long would you even plan to habe him unvaccinated for? How much real life data do you need?

He has LD but does he have mental capacity to decide for himself? Is it up to you to decide as a carer or do you need Power of Attorney to make the decision?

Thank you all. Good opposing views. Just what I needed to hear!

He never had a reaction to his childhood vaccines and I felt a bit shit as I thought I probably should have waited a bit longer for him to have the flu one after having CV.

Will check with the jab contractors as to which jab it is and tell them about the CV and the flu jab reaction then make my decision. GP will not give advice, just said contact them.

I have had the vaccine and I guess one of my thoughts on it is that over 7 million people in the U.K. have had a vaccine now as well as those in Israel, America etc that I wonder what number will make you feel comfortable in terms of side effects?

I guess the other part is that people have had it twice yes it’s not likely but if your son did get it and was seriously unwell, in hospital or god forbid died how would you feel about your decision then?

I don’t know whether you are being unreasonable or not in part because it’s your choice but I do think that it’s thinking about the possible outcomes of getting covid again versus side effects of the vaccine and choosing from there.

You do whatever you feel is right.

Just because he had it mildly in November doesn't mean he won't get it again. Just because he got it mildly in November doesn't mean that he won't get a more severe case the 2nd time around. Or the 2nd time he may even get Long Covid. Yes side effects suck sometimes but they are better than the alternative.