Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
Beseigedbykillersquirrels · 13/02/2021 10:00

I would have answered your post as I think it's an interesting question. But then I read down to the bottom and realised that you're a sneery antivaxxer so I'm not going to try to have an intelligent discussion with you.

Natsku · 13/02/2021 10:00

10 year old DD, who is very scared of needles, would volunteer I'm sure. She was gutted when I told her the current vaccines aren't for children yet, she just wants this all to be over and is willing even to get an injection for that.

Original poster
coulditbeanymorerubbish · 13/02/2021 10:00

@flapjackfairy I'll assume he has the flu vaccine then.

OP posts:
cookiemonster5 · 13/02/2021 10:01

My oldest child I would let decide for him self. He is nearly 15 and very healthy, never had a reaction to any vaccine and it's his choice.

My middle son I wouldn't. He is on immunosuppressant medication and not sure if he would even be allowed the vaccine if he was old enough. He also had a very bad reaction to the swine flu vaccines requiring a trip to hospital in an ambulance so I would be reluctant to with him until we have a discussion with his nurses and doctors.

My youngest is almost 4 and no I wouldn't. He has had reactions to every single vaccine he has had except the flu vaccine. Plus as he is asthmatic and very small for his age (undergoing test to see if there is a cause as he is the size of your average 2 year old) he doesn't have the ability to process the vaccines like most other people do.

My husband is shielding like my middle son. He has the Oxford vaccine on Wednesday. Thursday he felt awful but yesterday and today he is just left with a sore arm and a bit of tiredness. No one else we know who has had the Oxford have suffered anything more than a sore arm and but of tiredness.

Suzi888 · 13/02/2021 10:02

No, why vaccinate for something that an overwhelming majority of people recover from. Hmm

Original poster
coulditbeanymorerubbish · 13/02/2021 10:03

@Beseigedbykillersquirrels a sneery anti vaxxer? Wow, okay. My daughter is fully up to date with her routine vaccinations as well as an additional vaccine for chicken pox. I think calling me a 'sneery anti vaxxer' is a bit unfair because I won't allow my child to be a guinea pig, not that I need worry she's only 2.

OP posts:
ForeverBubblegum · 13/02/2021 10:03

The oxford one I probably would (if I had a 6 year old), it's based on long standing technology, and is already known to be safe for adults. The likelihood of it causing problems is vanishingly small. I'd have some reservations if it was one of the mRNA ones, though that's probably just because I don't personally know enough about them, not because I believe them to be dangerous.

Fembot123 · 13/02/2021 10:03

@Suzi888

No, why vaccinate for something that an overwhelming majority of people recover from. Hmm
Seriously???
Original poster
coulditbeanymorerubbish · 13/02/2021 10:06

@NerrSnerr someone else's, not mine. It's an individual parental decision.

OP posts:
ThatDamnKrampus · 13/02/2021 10:06

Yes, I would - do you have a link to the trial enrollment?

Newgirls · 13/02/2021 10:07

Yes if she’s ok with it. She’s a strong healthy 15 year old who loves science and helping others, She’s the size of a an adult so if it’s been tested on millions of over 70s by now it’s safe for her

flapjackfairy · 13/02/2021 10:08

@coulditbeanymorerubbish
Yes he has had all vaccinations . He is 6 yrs old as it happens and has severe respiratory issues along with a whole host of other things going on so he is an extremely complex child medically. The only thing we stipulate is that the flu vacine is the jab not the nose drops as he did go down with 2 strains of flu when he had them as they are a live vacine which we were unaware of at the time. The jab isnt live so he has that now.

HazeyJaneII · 13/02/2021 10:08

I am glad to hear it is being trialled (it was supposed to have been at the start, but in order to speed things up it wasnt)
I am desperate to get ds vaccinated as he has been shielding for most of the year.
His sister's both said they would volunteer (but dd1 wouldn't be able due to allergies)
The Pfizer vaccine trials for 12-16 year olds ha e already started and in Israel they are talking about vaccinating high risk children straight away, as they are seeing younger children in hospitals with Covid.
It is rare for children to be seriously affected or die - but some children have rare conditions and other medical needs that would make them extremely vulnerable.
It would be good to know there is some light at the end of the tunnel, as it sometimes feels as though medically vulnerable children are forgotten.

Original poster
coulditbeanymorerubbish · 13/02/2021 10:08

@Newgirls if I had a 15 year old I would let them decide, should have been more specific saying young children.

OP posts:
Mumski45 · 13/02/2021 10:11

So how does every one think all the other kids vaccines are tested and determined to be safe for children.

Personally yes I would as I don't think the scientists would allow a trial to go ahead unless they had a good idea of what to expect. There will be many safety mechanisms in place during a trial.

I trust scientists more than I trust journalists.

I trust the regulation of scientists more than I trust the regulation of journalism.

If we never try something new then no progress will ever be made. Surely all medicines/vaccines/treatments will at some point have been tested on children. So if we don't allow it to happen in this country then yes we are relying on parents in other countries to do this.

ItsSnowJokes · 13/02/2021 10:11

[quote coulditbeanymorerubbish]@ItsSnowJokes but not in initial trials? That tells me you have your reservations.[/quote]
I am taking part in a stage 3 trial (for novavax) and I risk assessed that myself. With my youngest (she is 4) I would also risk assess that and feel that I would be comfortable for a stage 3 trial for her.

My grown up eldest was part of a trial for the swine flu vaccine, again a stage 3 trial and I feel that is probably where I feel comfortable for my children.

paintedpanda · 13/02/2021 10:12

I would if my DC wanted to. I think anyone who wouldn't should consider themselves fortunate that others are willing to in order to ensure the vaccine is safe for their children.

Abraxan · 13/02/2021 10:13

I know of a child who is part of the more recent trials. Mum and dad are both medics. Child is primary school age iirr but was asked and agreed to do it. Their older teen was part of trials too I think.

Newgirls · 13/02/2021 10:14

[quote coulditbeanymorerubbish]@Newgirls if I had a 15 year old I would let them decide, should have been more specific saying young children.[/quote]
Ah ok. My guess it would be older ones first which will help tho too?

Newgirls · 13/02/2021 10:15

@HazeyJaneII

I am glad to hear it is being trialled (it was supposed to have been at the start, but in order to speed things up it wasnt) I am desperate to get ds vaccinated as he has been shielding for most of the year. His sister's both said they would volunteer (but dd1 wouldn't be able due to allergies) The Pfizer vaccine trials for 12-16 year olds ha e already started and in Israel they are talking about vaccinating high risk children straight away, as they are seeing younger children in hospitals with Covid. It is rare for children to be seriously affected or die - but some children have rare conditions and other medical needs that would make them extremely vulnerable. It would be good to know there is some light at the end of the tunnel, as it sometimes feels as though medically vulnerable children are forgotten.
That’s amazing to hear 👍
Useruseruserusee · 13/02/2021 10:16

@flapjackfairy

Finally I have a CEV child and until he can be vaccinated we are always going to be in some sort of lockdown or others . I can't wait for it to be approved for children.
I know what you mean although my CEV child is three so looks like he won’t benefit from this anyway.
MaLarkinn · 13/02/2021 10:18

Not a chance!

I can't believe people would volunteer their child to be a guinea pig.

You don't deserve them.

Alfaix · 13/02/2021 10:18

My worry would be him going through lots of injections and only getting the placebo. If I knew he could have the actual jab yes I would volunteer him.

MessAllOver · 13/02/2021 10:21

No, I wouldn't but only because my son is 3 and therefore unable to understand the risks or issues in any way or give meaningful consent. As a parent, therefore, my decisions have to be made in his best interests and not based on altruistic considerations of what is best for society as a whole (since I have to make the choice for him, I can't choose for him to be "selfless", as it were). Since he is not clinically vulnerable at all and the risks to him from Covid are very small, I personally think it would be more risky to volunteer him to trial a vaccine untested for his age group than for him not to have the vaccination. Having said that, I believe the vaccine is safe and I haven't looked closely at the figures, so I'd be open to being convinced.

If I had a clinically vulnerable child, though, my risk assessment for my child would probably be different. I might consider that, so long as the vaccine is shown basically to be safe, it is in my child's best interests to be vaccinated even if it hasn't been widely trialled for his or her age group.

AStudyinPink · 13/02/2021 10:22

No. She can’t consent to experimental treatments and I wouldn’t be confident making that decision for her.

Swipe left for the next trending thread