To not get DS vaccinated

[Florence282]

I think this probably not allowed but I'm very interested to see what the general population thinks about vaccinating our DC. DS is 12 and after a tonne of research we've decided not to vaccinate. Other mums in the school are struggling to make a decision.

Yanbu=no to the vaccine
Yabu=yes to the vaccine

Belladonna12 I dont know any children who have had the vaccine yet so I can't comment on that.

@SprayedWithDettol

I assume that your ‘tonne of research’ was possible because you have a bioscience degree as a minimum. Those dossiers submitted for vaccine/drug approval are very detailed science and beyond the comprehension of a lay person.

Exactly.

I was on the fence regarding my 13 year old. However, having spoken to a number of friends who are GPs and whose children 12-15 will not be having the vaccine, we are not getting it either now. That tells me enough.

I have 3 DD. 2 are older teens, one with a heart condition so they have both had it. My 11 year old won't be having it. The research isn't 'old' enough yet to tell me what long term effects could be. I have lived and had my children. I don't want my daughter having issues with fertility etc because of a choice I made for her.

My DS decided to go for the vaccine. I was happy with the decision, we don't really know about the long term effects of the virus yet- so I assume it depends on which is the greater risk.
(A girl in Portsmouth died from Covid last week and a friend's child was hit quite badly by Covid- not hospitalised.)

It is a tricky decision either way because we know very little about long term effects of either.

There are selfish reasons for him to get the vaccine too. Like decreasing the disruption to your son's education this winter. The health/harm anlaysis is pretty narrow either way, hence the JCVI advice; but the benefit to your son's education of decreasing his vulnerability to covid and his likelihood of spreading covid to others in class is large. JCVI doesn't take that into account.

e.g. "From an individual health benefit perspective, they [JCVI] feel the margin of benefit, is considered too small to support advice on a universal programme of vaccination of otherwise healthy 12-15-year-old children at this time. They do however acknowledge that there may be wider issues to consider which are outside the remit of the JCVI to evaluate, such as wider societal impacts, including educational benefits, where the CMO [Chief Medical Officer] would be better placed to advise, with representation from JCVI." gov.wales/written-statement-covid-19-vaccination-jcvi-advice-12-15-year-olds

I have teen boys who had it months ago without issue (US). And my toddler will be next in line as soon as it's approved. You're trying to convince yourself you've made the right decision OP but clearly you can't justify it to yourself or you wouldn't be sufficiently full of doubt to post here. There are lots of adolescents dead from this virus, Google it

Belladonna12 as I said previously, I have a degree in Biology and work as an ATMP pharmaceutical manufacturing technician with a foundation degree in ATMPs.

Well then OP, perhaps you could explain why you have taken this position (based on your research)and started a thread that causes anxiety for people?
FYI my husband and many friends are working ridiculous hours (16 hour days are not unknown) developing and adapting drugs to support treatment of covid as well some as being actively involved in one of the vaccines. We have all had our vaccines because they work.

My son isn't getting vaccinated , he had covid early September so I see no reason for him to be vaccinated against covid when he had it with very mild symptoms and was absolutely fine

It is not just the safety of the vaccine at stake and unknown long term issues. It is also the question of whether they might have had Covid already without you knowing anyway, how effective one dose of the current vaccine is anyway given the current variants etc etc. Whether getting it naturally is better for them anyway etc etc - nobody really knows so either way stab in the dark.

Yabu

I don’t understand how people feel they can do more research and know more than the medical professionals who recommend vaccination.

YABU

arcof oh I absolutely have doubts. I would either way and yes that's exactly why I've posted here. I'm very interested in other people's opinions or I wouldn't have asked.

@arcof - we are getting totally different messaging here in UK as opposed to you in US. I have plenty of friends in US lining up their toddlers/preschoolers too. Just not the current thinking here in UK.

@MadeOfStarStuff- except that plenty of “medical professionals” are not vaccinating their own kids just telling other people to vaccinate theirs.

I don't feel hugely strongly about this tbh, as I can absolutely understand why parents would be concerned. I'm currently pregnant, I was scared but I did get vaccinated whilst pregnant. I do believe that, when my child is born, I'd be very happy for them to be vaccinated if it were approved for their age group, but I acknowledge that when my child is here I might feel differently when faced with the actual decision.

But what I really, truly cannot wrap my head around is people being concerned with myocarditis with regards to the vaccine. When you tell these people that the evidence is showing that the risk of myocarditis is far higher with COVID than with the vaccine, they don't seem to be bothered by this? Also, vaccine-induced myocarditis seems to be very mild in the vast majority of cases, and the COVID-induced myocarditis seems to be not only more frequent but also worse.

I understand that people may have this innate fear/distrust of new vaccines or medicines for your child - I really struggled with this when deciding whether to get the vaccine during my pregnancy. It's natural to be cautious about your children! But I just don't understand how people can spout things like "the vaccine risks far outweigh the benefits" with such certainty when the evidence clearly shows this to not be the case.

I have far more understanding for people who just feel a bit iffy about it in their gut than people who refute or refuse to understand science, and who think that their google searches constitute in-depth research which is somehow comparable to actual scientific research.

MadeOfStarStuff for me personally it's because the experts don't know my son or his unique circumstances (it would be unfair for me to post about that on here). They're looking at the population as a whole.

YANBU - I totally agree with you OP. Same position here - both DH and I double vaxxed, but our 12 year old DS will not be getting the jab just yet.

As the JCVI said in its recommendation, the risk vs benefits for an individual child of this age just don't stack up. Vaccinating a child of this age is not for their own benefit but wider societal considerations. I'm sorry, but as a parent I will totally make this decision based purely on what's best for my son.

We do not have regular contact with elderly/vulnerable relatives. There are known side effects for boys of this age. Not enough is known about the long term impact of the vaccine on developing adolescent children. So no, my 12 year old will not be getting the jab at this stage.

@toomuchlaundry

You know there is a risk with myocarditis with COVID too

A greater risk of myocarditis with Covid actually.

@SafferUpNorth

YANBU - I totally agree with you OP. Same position here - both DH and I double vaxxed, but our 12 year old DS will not be getting the jab just yet.

As the JCVI said in its recommendation, the risk vs benefits for an individual child of this age just don't stack up. Vaccinating a child of this age is not for their own benefit but wider societal considerations. I'm sorry, but as a parent I will totally make this decision based purely on what's best for my son.

We do not have regular contact with elderly/vulnerable relatives. There are known side effects for boys of this age. Not enough is known about the long term impact of the vaccine on developing adolescent children. So no, my 12 year old will not be getting the jab at this stage.

That's not what the JCVI said. Read the link to the BBC article in my first post.

@Florence282

MadeOfStarStuff for me personally it's because the experts don't know my son or his unique circumstances (it would be unfair for me to post about that on here). They're looking at the population as a whole.

Introducing another variable to the equation. Not very scientific that. If there is something unique to you situation that could well be very valid. But you didn't say that.

Vaccinating a child of this age is not for their own benefit but wider societal considerations. I'm sorry, but as a parent I will totally make this decision based purely on what's best for my son.

So keeping your children (and other children of this age) in school is not for their own benefit? I guess if you have some specific health concerns about your child it makes sense, otherwise not really.

@Florence282

Belladonna12 as I said previously, I have a degree in Biology and work as an ATMP pharmaceutical manufacturing technician with a foundation degree in ATMPs.

That makes me less not more impressed. I have a PhD in a related field but would never be so arrogant to think that I could do a "tonne of research" and would then be more knowledgable about the benefits and risks of the vaccine than all the scientists that have spent months evaluating the evidence in the MHRA, EMA, FDA and other regulatory authorities.

What@ClareBlue said.

Also data please on medics not vaccinating their children. You cant state things like that without the ability to back it up and expect to be taken seriously.