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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:
YouMeandtheSpew · 14/09/2021 16:45

My child is nowhere near the age for being offered the Covid vaccine, but he is obviously being offered the flu vaccine which we’ll accept. And I see that as being for the benefit of the whole population rather than his personal benefit.

Flowerlane · 14/09/2021 17:09

Have a 12 year old here, he has decided against the vaccine and I fully support him (I also am against him having it but let him decide before I told him how I felt).

Livvielo · 14/09/2021 17:10

No.

MajorCarolDanvers · 14/09/2021 17:39

@OasisOfFerns

No. I'll be waiting until its fully licensed for use in children.
It is
Ilovechinese · 14/09/2021 17:45

No way, I've not had it and neither will my kids be having it!

Panicmode1 · 14/09/2021 17:48

www.news-medical.net/news/20210913/The-rate-of-vaccine-induced-heart-inflammation-in-children.aspx?fbclid=IwAR04PPVky86j4jeyh5sm4ssij7eW4b9KsFIA5s22p-UQ0nAHmLyD8AIt3GM

No, my two younger boys won't be having it because I don't believe that the risks are fully understood - they are sporty and even if the risk to their hearts is minimal, I'm not convinced that the benefits outweigh the risks. My middle DS is 13 and I don't feel that there is enough data/evidence on what these vaccines do longer term, especially as he's about to go through a massive pubertal change.

My eldest DS is adamant that he will have it, and my DD wants it too - they are 17 and 16 respectively, and I respect their decisions.

DH and I are fully vaccinated and I never thought I would be wavering, but I talked all the stats through with my brother today (a colorectal surgeon - so not a vaccine specialist by any means) and he said that if there is no strong reason to do so (ie no comorbidities etc) that although the numbers are tiny, there is enough to err on the side of caution. As it happens DS1 and 2 have had Covid in the past 3 weeks, so they have to wait for a vaccine anyway!

Itawapuddytat · 14/09/2021 17:51

DS (almost 13) wants it, and we want him to have it. Apparently all his friends want to have it.

Panicmode1 · 14/09/2021 17:52

Also the JCVI saying the benefits were minimal, and therefore they didn't support a national roll out made me stop and think, plus the wording that Chris Whitty deployed in his selling of it to us - a lot of 'probably', 'possible', 'likely' - didn't fill me with confidence.

Abraxan · 14/09/2021 17:53

@AdmiralCain

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?

This isn't something that has just been started because of covid or for the covid vaccination.

Children who are Gillick competent, and most 12+ year olds are, have been able to give consent for other vaccinations and indeed other medical procedures, even when it's against their parent's wishes, for quite a while now.

It isn't just England that has this measure either.

HikingforScenery · 14/09/2021 17:56

No

Abraxan · 14/09/2021 17:57

@GivenUpEntirely

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.

Based on the live reporting on the BBC of the government briefing, the vaccine being used for children is Pfizer.
Lennybenny · 14/09/2021 18:00

I'm on the fence about it. My near 18yo has had his 1st. I'm really undecided about the 15(2 months of 16)yo having it though and I don't know why.

Evesgarden · 14/09/2021 18:01

My kids are too young for this however - The local secondary school had covid run through it this year. A post was put on their Facebook page about the possibility of covid vaccines being given at the school. Hundreds of parents ( I assume) commented on saying their kids would not be allowed to have it. There was a few ( I think) posts saying that they would allow their kids to have it but the over whelming majority said no. In the end the thread was deleted.

I actually dont know anyone in RL who wants their kids to have it and I would be really interested to know if it was a location thing, I really dont think its a class thing as my kids go to private school and I spend time with their friends/class mothers and my family are working class. I am from the NW

Angel2702 · 14/09/2021 18:07

Still waiting for my eldest to get his as part of the vulnerable group. Spoke to Dr who agreed it but still waiting.

edenhills · 14/09/2021 18:17

I'm not sure. I am very pro vaccine and have never turned one down before but my second jab (moderna) made me so ill! I had malaria years ago and this was worse.

Evesgarden · 14/09/2021 18:20

Children who are Gillick competent, and most 12+ year olds are, have been able to give consent for other vaccinations and indeed other medical procedures, even when it's against their parent's wishes, for quite a while now

Gillick competency was over a case where a young person wanted birth control. The birth control had been used for many decades before hand.

This is emergency vaccine that is still having data received whether it is safe enough for kids to have, there have been reports of ill effects, the vaccine doesn't stop transmission nor catching the vaccine.

The JVCI are still unsure whether the risks out way the benefits and that's why they have leaned towards caution and not recommending it. We have listened to the JVCI this entire pandemic but all of a sudden we dont need too?? Have we not been told to follow the science the past two years? Are we know deciding the politicians know more the scientists that have guided us through this? You trust this government?

Crazy.

Abraxan · 14/09/2021 18:21

@Evesgarden

My kids are too young for this however - The local secondary school had covid run through it this year. A post was put on their Facebook page about the possibility of covid vaccines being given at the school. Hundreds of parents ( I assume) commented on saying their kids would not be allowed to have it. There was a few ( I think) posts saying that they would allow their kids to have it but the over whelming majority said no. In the end the thread was deleted.

I actually dont know anyone in RL who wants their kids to have it and I would be really interested to know if it was a location thing, I really dont think its a class thing as my kids go to private school and I spend time with their friends/class mothers and my family are working class. I am from the NW

My Dd is too old to have had this issue. At 19y she had it as soon as she was able, queuing hours to get it before her age group was officially called.

All of her friends have all had at least one vaccine, most have now had both. Every 16+ we know have now had their first vaccine.

I don't actually know anyone with a teenager who isn't planning to have it once they are able. Many have been awaiting this decision as they are keen for their child to have the vaccination as soon as they are able.

But certainly the talk locally (or further afield with family/friends) is very pro vaccine.

Abraxan · 14/09/2021 18:24

It isn't just the Government who have made this decision.
MHRA and CMO both approved its use.
Many health and medical authorities in other countries across the world have approved its use - Infact elsewhere 12+ have already started to be vaccinated for a while now.

And JCVI didn't say we shouldn't vaccinate 12-16y, just that it needed considering further along with factors, other than just the covid risk to children. Which is what has since happened.

Tatum1234 · 14/09/2021 18:32

Yes, my 16yo has had his and my 13yo will be done when he can. He has a higher risk of myocarditis from Covid than the vaccine and I’d like him to have some protection from long Covid.

Dithercats · 14/09/2021 18:43

My 2 have already had it within the vulnerable category and will now have the second jab in a few weeks.
Shielding for months was no fun at all.
Living with the risk of covid is no fun.
The vaccination offers us the best chance at a semi-normal post pandemic life 🤞.

Anonymous48 · 14/09/2021 19:14

My kids are now young adults over the age of 18, so they made their own choices to get vaccinated as soon as they were able. If they were in the 12-16 age group then yes, I would absolutely want them to get vaccinated. I live in the US where kids aged 12 and older have been eligible for a few months.

Anonymous48 · 14/09/2021 19:15

@Lennybenny

I'm on the fence about it. My near 18yo has had his 1st. I'm really undecided about the 15(2 months of 16)yo having it though and I don't know why.
Are you for real? Maybe try and figure out why you feel this way...
Rummikubfan · 14/09/2021 19:21

Mine will. 18 year old had it in June. The others will have it. 15 year old doesn’t want to because she doesn’t like needles. Given she will happily pierce her own ear I don’t buy this and pointed out that if she gets really ill she’ll have more than a needle to worry about. She will have it

Rummikubfan · 14/09/2021 19:24

@Abraxan
*
I actually dont know anyone in RL who wants their kids to have it and I would be really interested to know if it was a location thing, I really dont think its a class thing as my kids go to private school and I spend time with their friends/class mothers and my family are working class. I am from the NW*

And I don’t know a single person who doesn’t want their kids vaccinated. As far as I am aware every single one of my 18 year olds friends has had it and everyone is delighted that it’s being rolled out

OasisOfFerns · 14/09/2021 19:27

39MajorCarolDanvers

OasisOfFerns

No. I'll be waiting until its fully licensed for use in children.

It is

No it isn't, only for those age 16 and over. Still emergency use only for those age 12-15.

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