... to consider that it is ethical for the uk to vaccinate teenagers and that those saying we shouldn't are wrong?

[KihoBebiluPute]

So there are various news articles saying that there are now approvals for vaccines for 12-15 year olds, but that the JCVI is carefully considering whether to go ahead with actually implementing this for the wider population, with one of the questions being whether it is ethical given that (a) lots of other countries haven't managed to vaccinate their vulnerable populations yet and (b) the virus isn't a big risk for the young so is it fair to risk the vaccine to avoid such a no-big-deal illness.

My view is that on the international question, the same principle applies as they say on the plane-safety announcement: "secure your own oxygen mask before helping others" - if you don't follow this principle then all that happens is that there are 2 casualties rather than 1. If we don't vaccinate our teens that isn't going to directly resolve the practical and political issues in the worst-affected countries and enable them to vaccinate more - it would just mean that the uk takes longer to recover in the post-covid aftermath and that doesn't help anyone. Even if we don't actively help other countries once our country and workforce can be "back to normal", it is beneficial to have some countries that have no need of any relief efforts or monitoring so that whatever recovery programmes are put in place can focus on where such efforts are needed.

I don't believe it would be of any benefit to the unvaccinated people in worst-hit countries for the UK to keep limping along on the boundary between recovery and lockdown. The number of vaccines required for our teens are a drop in the ocean that wouldn't make much difference if distributed elsewhere and probably wouldn't actually go to those most in-need anyway even if we did decide not to use them.

Secondly, whilst individuals teens aren't at great risk of life-threatening illness, the effects of the pandemic on this age group is huge. Our second cohort of GCSE and Alevel pupils are having their qualifications disrupted, isolation at home when there are outbreaks in schools is having a devastating impact. Getting a high enough vaccination rate amongst teenagers is vital to enable secondary schools to start functioning normally again, including allowing all the extra-curricular activities that are still impossible or significantly reduced to go back to normal. The effects of the pandemic on this generation of teens is already awful and a vaccination programme is the only way to stop it from getting worse and start counteracting all the damage done in the last 16 months.

AIBU?

I do not want my healthy grandchildren immunised whilst there are vulnerable adults elsewhere who have not been.

I do not care if those adults are in the UK or anywhere else it does not and should not make any difference.

I'm not sure that under 14s need to be vaccinated but it would save a huge amount of disruption to GCSE and A-level students if they were all vaccinated, saving them from burst bubbles and allowing them to follow their courses and sit their exams. Five whole year groups have already suffered severe disruption to either their GCSE or A-levels.

That’s just bad governance though @PuffingPansy in many other countries the schools stayed open with funding provided for enough extra staff that groups could be halved and exams went ahead as normal.

@Chloemol

For those that say covid doesn’t affect this age group, yes it does, albeit they may not need hospital treatment, this age group is being affected

Not only be catching covid ( and what parent wants their child to get ill?) but also be spreading it amongst those not vaccinated ( for whatever reason) and for causing whole year groups to self isolate thus affection their education

Personally I think we vaccinate here first, then do others, especially those who choose to spend money on space programmes, and corrupt governments rather than looking after their own

Exactly this. Children and teenagers has now been severely disrupted over 2 school years. They need the next school year to run smoothly esp for those in later year groups. This is their future. I know my own teens will catch up and do ok in exams if the next school year runs normally, if it dosent we are going to have a completely failed generation. Yes I'm all for helping others but we owe it to our own kids to do the right thing for their futures aswell

They’re already vaccinating 18 and 19 year olds and they are also at low risk for Covid, they’re not donating theirs to the vulnerable in other countries. So if they can have it, why not 12-17 year olds?

It worries me that people seem to really misunderstand these vaccines. I’m not anti vaccine, I’ve actually had my first dose despite not actually thinking I need it, but the vaccine protects you not others. Children don’t need it ( in the main). It’s not a vaccine in the traditional sense that we are used to. It could be the best thing ever and the way forward for many other future drugs but as yet We have no knowledge of long term effects, at all. And despite the narrative covid for the young is less dangerous than flu. Priority should be vaccinating elderly and vulnerable not children who have no need for this and will still be able to catch and transmit this virus

@QuentininQuarantino

That’s just bad governance though *@PuffingPansy* in many other countries the schools stayed open with funding provided for enough extra staff that groups could be halved and exams went ahead as normal.

So will the governance be better this winter? If not, I'd rather like my DD16, who has already suffered disruption through Year 10 and Year 11, to be vaccinated before she starts her A levels.

Personally I don’t imagine the governance will improve for a good long while but the COVID situation should, fingers crossed.

When the uk govt only spend a tenth of what their own appointed experts have said is needed on catch up, when they cancel
exams with no plans in place, when they need a footballer to suggest feeding kids.... vaccinating them will be like a sniper putting a plaster on a gunshot wound and the victim being expected to be grateful. It is AWFUL and i’m sorry for your dd and all of her age group, and I hope people start to hold those in power slightly more responsible.

I would absolutely vaccinate my DC, the week before half term their school sent home 400 pupils because of 17 positive cases. Children may not be seriously ill with CV but they are affected by it.
If them being vaccinated means they can stay in school then I’m all for it. I’ve I had to pay for it like I do the flu jab then I’d be happy to do that.

I have just seen in the newspaper that Israel is starting the vaccination of 12-16 year olds.
USA started vaccinating children a while back .....