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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you want your 12-15 year old to have the Covid vaccine when it is available?

106 replies

lonelyapple · 14/09/2021 12:58

With the announcement that Covid vaccines for children aged 12-15 will most likely be going ahead in the next few weeks, I am just wondering if you have children in this age group do you want them to get the Covid vaccine? Would have put it this in the Covid board but no voting option there.

YANBU = yes
YABU = no

OP posts:
Moelwynbach · 14/09/2021 14:25

Children can give vaccination consent at 12 I think. I wonder if this is partially why the age range is 12+. I would strongly encourage my child to have it done.

blubberyboo · 14/09/2021 14:25

Yes I will encourage my 15 year old DD to get it.

To protect her education and those vulnerable around her both at home and school.
To reduce risk of long covid for her.
It may have offer her some protection as she gets older.

mrsm43s · 14/09/2021 14:30

Youngest is 15.5, so obviously it is his choice, but I'm absolutely sure he will have it, and I'm very glad of that. Eldest is 16, so has already had it - again, her own choice because of her age.

Fink · 14/09/2021 14:31

Mine would have been eligible once they turn 12 anyway as we live with a CEV person. I won't force it, but I will strongly encourage it for the sake of our elderly relatives.

canigooutyet · 14/09/2021 14:33

My 15 year old doesn't want it.. He thinks that we really need to get poorer countries vaccinated to the same rate as us before we start thinking about vaccinating his peers who are healthy, because those countries don't have the same access to health care as we do.

He cannot understand why him as a healthy 15 year has been offered it because I am vulnerable, whereas relatives in Africa who are vulnerable and 40+ are still waiting to be offered.

AdmiralCain · 14/09/2021 14:37

Absolutely not, Children need to be, 18 to vote, 18 to smoke, 18 to drink alcohol, 16 to join the army, 18 to gamble.

There's a reason they need to be 16/18. I don't think we should just start letting children being vaccinated if they want, the NHS can ask for informed consent but I don't believe a 12 year has the maturity to decide and be aware of the risks. It's a slippery slope, let a child agree to medical procedures, where does it end?

Easternfells · 14/09/2021 14:38

My DS is 13 and had an awful time with Long Covid for several months last year. I want him to have the vaccine and was very surprised when he said he wasn’t that keen. A couple of his friends have apparently said that they definitely won’t have it, and that had influenced their whole friendship group: I’ve pointed out to him that when they had Covid they weren’t really unwell so it was probably an easier decision for them to make. Also, his friends never saw how ill he was as it was principally during home schooling and holidays. I will show him the data and it’s up to him. He never worries about anything generally so I think he will decide to have it.

InglouriousBasterd · 14/09/2021 14:39

Unlikely for a while as DD is still 11 as younger year 7, and she’s had a previous allergic reaction to a vaccine so will review with GP when she hits 12.

Thunderpunt · 14/09/2021 14:43

I'm interested to know the YABU/YANBU split so far, can't see it in the app.... can anyone update me?

MLMbotsno · 14/09/2021 14:45

@Thunderpunt

I'm interested to know the YABU/YANBU split so far, can't see it in the app.... can anyone update me?
34% against 66% for giving the vaccine
birkenstuck · 14/09/2021 14:49

Nope

reluctantbrit · 14/09/2021 14:51

Did, 14, is keen. We saw too many cases where teens passed the infection on to parents, last December her school was so badly hit, they closed first week of December. A friend’s school was decimated in July when Delta hit out area hard.

I am worried of anymore chaos with school disruption.

A
“I don’t like jabs” wouldn’t be a reason not too have it, neither are 1 day side effects she was with DH and me. Jabs are medicine and medicine may not be nice but does help.

Thunderpunt · 14/09/2021 14:57

Thanks @MLMbotsno
I do wish they would add this to the app!

steppemum · 14/09/2021 14:58

I have 3 kids
18 year old has had it.
16 year old has had it (her choice, but we were keen)
13 year old is desperate to have it, as she worries about stuff and is worried about Covid.

Can't really see a reason why you wouldn't to be honest

campion · 14/09/2021 15:14

canigooutyet
Your 15 yr old not having it on principle won't make a jot of difference to people in poorer countries. They won't be sending his vaccine there. There isn't a finite supply and then it runs out and, apparently, the supplies to poorer countries should improve within months when India starts producing for other countries again.

There is also the problem of logistics in many areas where it's challenging to keep vaccines safely stored so it has to be done in a more measured way.
And then there's the politics...

RaoulDufysCat · 14/09/2021 15:15

DD is 15 and had covid in the summer. She was very very ill, despite being perfectly healthy usually and with no particular risk factors. She wants the vaccine and never wants to get covid again.

LondonJax · 14/09/2021 15:26

We're in a difficult situation at the moment. DS has congenital heart disease, although his is a common one so he's not been vaccinated as vulnerable yet.

We're waiting to see what his consultant advises as myocarditis is the thing we actually fear every day of his life. However, myocarditis can also be caused by Covid - and it seems it's more likely with Covid than the vaccination at the moment. So we'll wait to see what the hospital advises - they've kept him safe so far - then it will be his choice ultimately as he's the one who has to live with the consequences so we certainly wouldn't force him. We've both been vaccinated by the way and DS has all his vaccinations as needed every year.

edwinbear · 14/09/2021 15:27

@steppemum the reason DS won't, is that the risk of myocarditis in boys, as a vaccine side effect, is much higher than it is with girls. DS is an elite athlete, training/competing for c.20 hrs a week in a very cardio intensive sport. I'm not prepared to take risks with his heart unless there are clear and significant benefits for him. In this age range, the risks v benefits is much more finely balanced than in the older population. It's so important families make the decision based on their own circumstances.

SoupDragon · 14/09/2021 15:30

I don't think we should just start letting children being vaccinated if they want, the NHS can ask for informed consent but I don't believe a 12 year has the maturity to decide and be aware of the risks. It's a slippery slope, let a child agree to medical procedures, where does it end?

They ready do this with vaccinations. Mine certainly had the right to give informed consent to the HPV and other boosters plus the flu vaccine.

SoupDragon · 14/09/2021 15:31

DD has Covid at the moment. I think she is keen to be vaccinated.

giggly · 14/09/2021 15:36

Yes absolutely in the same way they have been inoculated against MMR, Hepatitis, Cervical Ca. flu and polio.
Why would you not?

Seriously79 · 14/09/2021 15:51

[quote edwinbear]@steppemum the reason DS won't, is that the risk of myocarditis in boys, as a vaccine side effect, is much higher than it is with girls. DS is an elite athlete, training/competing for c.20 hrs a week in a very cardio intensive sport. I'm not prepared to take risks with his heart unless there are clear and significant benefits for him. In this age range, the risks v benefits is much more finely balanced than in the older population. It's so important families make the decision based on their own circumstances.[/quote]
Please forgive my ignorance. I really do need to do some more research, but I'm just wondering - what if your son wasn't allowed to compete anymore, because he hadn't had the vaccine? Would that change your mind?

GivenUpEntirely · 14/09/2021 16:10

We're really not sure at the moment. We're a pro-vaccine family. Both children have had all of their routine ones and my husband and I have had our covid ones but the lack of information about the teenage covid vaccination programme makes us wary.

None of the official pages I've read (NHS, Government) confirm which vaccine is being used for us to make a more informed choice. Plus whilst I'm ambivalent about being a vaccine guinea pig because of the pandemic and statistics about my age group who catch the virus, I'm far less keen for my teenage daughter to be one.

Neither my husband or I can come down on one side of the argument. Our daughter isn't sure either. Hopefully there will be more substantial information provided prior to the vaccine being delivered so we can make a decision based on facts that we're comfortable with.

CoralBells · 14/09/2021 16:16

Yes. In the past people would have caught various childhood illnesses and either survived, had their health damaged long term or died. We are now fortunate to have vaccines that give us immunity without having to go through the risks of illness and I'm glad of that.

edwinbear · 14/09/2021 16:32

@Seriously79 yes, I think if competing became dependent on him being vaccinated, that would tip the risks vs benefits in favour of him being vaccinated.