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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you would put child forward for the vaccine trial?

340 replies

coulditbeanymorerubbish · 13/02/2021 09:30

So the Oxford vaccine is now to be tested in children as young as six. Would you put your child up for for children?

Everyone calling others stupid for not wanting it can now volunteer their kids! Because, you know... you're so confident that it's perfectly safe and the right thing to do.

OP posts:
sashagabadon · 13/02/2021 13:36

Just looked at the recruitment page for Oxford clinical trials and they are recruiting now in Southampton, Oxford, St. George’s tooting, Bristol and a couple of others.
For me and my son, the incentive is that some children will benefit from this vaccine more than he personally will. Immune compromised children for example that at the moment we do not know if they can be vaccinated. By helping with the trials we gain knowledge that it could work for them for example. That’s a great thing. If some children don’t volunteer we will not know and children that could potentially benefit, won’t.

EarlGreywithLemon · 13/02/2021 13:36

atThecrossroad the MMR is a live attenuated vaccine. That’s why there is caution around offering it to pregnant women and those about to be pregnant. This one is not.

Cornettoninja · 13/02/2021 13:37

Lots of things can kill children 🙄 why is this one so special

If you don’t recognise or refuse to understand why at this point it’s a waste of time for anyone to explain it tbh.

people can enjoy life without going abroad, and as for concerts they are not my thing

That’s a very individualistic view point but I accept it’s as valid as any other. Problem is, and presuming you’re in the UK or other western society, your lifestyle and good fortune is dependent on the actions of others. I’d put good money on none of us making it very far left to our own devices.

There’s no shame in not actively participating in anything for the collective good, but I do think there’s a cognitive dissonance in peoples comprehension of the existence of the ability to make the choices they do.

Happycat1212 · 13/02/2021 13:38

Just because you don’t want this vaccine doesn’t mean you are “anti vax” I can choose which one they have, they’ve had all their vaccines. This one? No, because the risk to children is pretty much non existent, same for the flu vaccine which I decline every year. I’m not vaccinating my children for something that has pretty much zero effect on them. Just accept people have different opinions to you. Why would I vaccinate them for something they are 99% likely to survive from? I’m not doing it to protect others either, as a mother my priority is my child, no one else.

EarlGreywithLemon · 13/02/2021 13:38

To answer the question, yes, I would if my daughter was over 6. We need the children vaccinated to stop new variants developing. And there’s always a possibility that new variants could affect children much more. So yes, it is for their, abc everyone’s long term protection.

Happycat1212 · 13/02/2021 13:40

I’ve been called miserable for not liking concerts? Why don’t people understand that’s not everyone’s cup of tea? Loud music and big crowds is a No for me and I haven’t been able to afford a holiday abroad. People like different things, I’m not going to be forced into a vaccine in exchange for “freedom” either Hmm

Pinkmarsh · 13/02/2021 13:40

Absolutely not 😱

Itsjustricemichael · 13/02/2021 13:40

The more it's circulating, the more likely mutations. One of those mutations could make it more dangerous to children. That's a risk that I really don't want so is why I would get my child vaccinated against this.

Fembot123 · 13/02/2021 13:44

@Happycat1212

Just because you don’t want this vaccine doesn’t mean you are “anti vax” I can choose which one they have, they’ve had all their vaccines. This one? No, because the risk to children is pretty much non existent, same for the flu vaccine which I decline every year. I’m not vaccinating my children for something that has pretty much zero effect on them. Just accept people have different opinions to you. Why would I vaccinate them for something they are 99% likely to survive from? I’m not doing it to protect others either, as a mother my priority is my child, no one else.
Your response was ‘lots of things kill children’ so it doesn’t make a huge amount of sense that you would have your kids vaxxed but not against this even if it became more deadly 🤨
Shelovesamystery · 13/02/2021 13:44

No because its not my choice to make. I would volunteer myself for a trial and I will happily have the vaccine if it's offered to me.

Cornettoninja · 13/02/2021 13:45

Whose forcing you into anything @Happycat1212?

Happycat1212 · 13/02/2021 13:46

I don’t care what you think makes sense? We decline the flu vaccine as well, you know just because you have some vaccines you don’t have to have all of them?? They don’t have the chicken pox one either. It’s not all or nothing.

EarlGreywithLemon · 13/02/2021 13:46

As for concerns about fertility, Jonathan Van Tam put it very well: “ He described the suggestion as "a nasty, pernicious scare story, but that's all it is".”
I’m about to have the vaccine next week, and plan to start TTC immediately after I have the second dose. I’m waiting for the second dose to make sure that I, and any baby, have maximum protection if I’m lucky enough to get pregnant.

Happycat1212 · 13/02/2021 13:48

Cornettoninja

Well people are using concerts and holidays as a bargaining tool for people to get the vaccine “well you can’t have a holiday or go to a concert then.”... well luckily that won’t affect my life as I would say that is a way of forcing people to get it but taking certain things away.

Covidcorvid · 13/02/2021 13:48

Dd is just too old for the trial now but if it had been a year or so ago I’d have encouraged her to sign up. She’s clinically vulnerable though so guess that would be the driver for us.

However she used to be needle phobic, she’s still not great about it. While I think she would have coped with the injections the thought of 6x blood tests might have been too much.

How do they get consent from a 7yo? Seems an ethical mine field. I get parents can give consent....but that’s normally for treatment they need. Not for a medical trial with no great individual benefit....unless they sign a load of clinically vulnerable kids up?

gingercat02 · 13/02/2021 13:50

I would yes but he would be very unimpressed as he's a bit freaked by needles so no. I've had mine due second one soon

Devlesko · 13/02/2021 13:53

Mine are older, but no way would I have done.
None of us are having it until the gineau pigs have all been done.
We'll be the last, if at all.

HazeyJaneII · 13/02/2021 13:55

@Covidcorvid

Dd is just too old for the trial now but if it had been a year or so ago I’d have encouraged her to sign up. She’s clinically vulnerable though so guess that would be the driver for us.

However she used to be needle phobic, she’s still not great about it. While I think she would have coped with the injections the thought of 6x blood tests might have been too much.

How do they get consent from a 7yo? Seems an ethical mine field. I get parents can give consent....but that’s normally for treatment they need. Not for a medical trial with no great individual benefit....unless they sign a load of clinically vulnerable kids up?

One of the criteria is that the child has no major medical problems, so that would rule out clinically vulnerable children.
SleepingStandingUp · 13/02/2021 13:58

For anyone on here that does let their child do it, thank you. DS has CLD and an acquired heart defect plus extra chromosomes. I can't imagine anyone will ever want to experiment on his frankly 🤣. We had to shield during the first phase, he has the flu jab every year (not the spray) and we'd Def give him the Corona jab if we could

rhowton · 13/02/2021 13:59

Absolutely!! They really won't be giving something dangerous to children.

TiredSloth · 13/02/2021 14:00

@Happycat1212
There are thousands of cev children (including mine) who need to be able to go back to school with everyone else. Covid could kill them. Are you just saying screw them?

Cornettoninja · 13/02/2021 14:00

@Happycat1212, yes well I agree random people are using that argument but there’s no basis in reality for those things. Even when that airline tried to launch a campaign to sell to people who’d had the vaccine it was shut down pretty sharpish, primarily because of the uncertainty around vaccine effectiveness against variants. I can’t see the vaccine bringing about many inequalities short or long term. Certain jobs may have it as a requirement though, but then lots do anyway e.g. hep B is a big one.

Either way, it’s still random people not officially sanctioned. Can’t say I’d put that much importance on it myself, particularly for activities I personally didn’t care about.

Iamfudgingfreezing · 13/02/2021 14:00

Those who said “ children should never be experimented on “ how would we ever treat children for anything ?

JustTurtlesAllTheWayDown · 13/02/2021 14:00

I haven't rtft but yes, I would. At some point, this vaccine has to be rolled out to children and we need data on how children react to it. Based on where they are with the rollout for adults, the risk is minimal. I think my 10yo DS would be proud to contribute to something that will have such a huge benefit to others, and I'd be proud of him for doing it.

Cornettoninja · 13/02/2021 14:01

@Devlesko

Mine are older, but no way would I have done. None of us are having it until the gineau pigs have all been done. We'll be the last, if at all.
Cute