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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Covid jab 6 year old

52 replies

Dunnoburt · 04/04/2022 18:29

Argh! I'm so torn with this!..... Ever since day 1 I've taken Covid EXTREMELY seriously..... I'm fully jabbed etc..... But I've now had a text to say my 6 year old (year 1) daughter is eligible for the jab.....I'm all go for myself, I know the risks etc..... She however doesn't have (or understand) a say .... Am i right in thinking that the jab does not prevent the carriage or spread but reduces the severity of the virus?..... What would you do? I'm seriously torn (it doesnt help I have connections to one of the first people who died because of the vaccine (vulnerable but not old)..... IABU get the jab YANBU dont get the jab

OP posts:
Onionbhajisandwich · 04/04/2022 19:34

I’m fully vaccinated but my children won’t be having the jab at this point. I wouldn’t rule it out in years to come if this is still with us but they won’t be having it for the foreseeable.

Porthia · 04/04/2022 19:39

I feel similarly to you OP.

I have given my kids all their vaccines to date, albeit with a slightly different schedule after doing some research.

However, I don’t really see the need for them to have these vaccines.

It doesn’t stop transmission or disease, especially at the super low dose that this age group get. And mine have all had covid in the last few weeks anyway. So surely they have “natural” immunity to the current variant circulating rather than the original version the vaccine was based on.

PLUS there is the niggling concern about long term impact. Yes covid itself may have worse heart-related consequences, or more, BUT my kids have already had covid. That ship has sailed and in any case the vaccine doesn’t stop you getting it full stop. I am triple jabbed and just had covid myself.

So any long term risk for covid has already happened. I can’t change that. I couldn’t help that and if they suffer long term consequences I won’t feel guilty because there was nothing I did or did not do to cause it.

I can’t say the same for the vaccine which, from what I can see, in the situation where the kids are healthy and have already had covid recently, offers little benefit at present with an, admittedly small, risk of future problems that I CAN avoid for now.

millymolls · 04/04/2022 19:43

Not a cat in hells chance I would with my children. unless she has some sort of severe medical condition that could justify it I personally would not

Original poster
Dunnoburt · 04/04/2022 19:45

@porthia this.... In a nutshell is my thinking

OP posts:
Original poster
Dunnoburt · 04/04/2022 19:48

Thank you @Puzzledandpissedoff i will have a good read xx thanks to everyone else who has commented too!

OP posts:
Troublesometooth · 04/04/2022 19:50

I had an invitation for my 5 year old but I’m not taking him for it.

He has had all his other routine ones plus I paid for a chicken pox vaccine for him. But I don’t feel there is any medical need for the covid one at this time.

Crispycremedelight · 04/04/2022 19:50

Our DC won’t be vaccinated, all three of my children have had COViD, the one we were most concerned about (heart condition and asthma) currently has COViD and he had a blinding headache for 24 hours, and now you wouldn’t know he had it except he is still testing positive. We saw the our cardiologist at GOSH and they supported our decision (all dc have to be treated as if they have a inherited heart condition) at the end of the day the choice is person to you and your family and it is the right choice for you

Maddiemademe · 04/04/2022 19:52

Yes mine are being done and actively want it done. I have 90% risk of death from covid based on studies of myasthenia gravis so they don’t want to risk my health or that of anyone else who is CEV. Plus it would be nice to not be isolated from them so much for last few years. So happy with the maturity they have shown as both begged to be allowed it.

Hospedia · 04/04/2022 19:58

Eldest DC is double jabbed already and younger DC will be getting theirs soon. The risks from the vaccine are much lower than the risks of covid (e.g., risk of blood clot from the vaccine is 0.004% whereas risk of a blood clot from covid itself is 16.5%) and I'd rather their risk of serious illness and long covid was reduced, the vaccine can stop you catching it in the first place although this does wane with time but it's still important.

Dancingonarainbow · 04/04/2022 20:22

Ds (6) had his about 4 weeks ago . He was recommended by the gp as he had 2 stays in hospital as a toddler due to a wheeze .
No side effects at all . I was going to cancel an activity later that day , but he was as right as rain - not even a sore arm .

Streafty · 04/04/2022 20:26

I try to stand by - just because it's available, doesn't mean you have to have it!!

I'm wouldn't be getting my CV 10 year old vaccinated (she had Covid and was fine) let alone a healthy under 10 year old.

Just take your time making a decision. It shouldn't be something that is done without properly weighing up the risks when it comes to children.

Hm2020 · 04/04/2022 20:28

My 7 year old had his 8 weeks agoish he had no reaction so I obviously would do it.

NameChange30 · 04/04/2022 20:33

DC1 recently turned 5 and I'm taking him to get vaccinated tomorrow.

I was on the fence but the risk of long covid swayed it for me. A colleague's young grandson has it, and it's heartbreaking. I believe it's rare but still not worth the risk.

Rory1234 · 04/04/2022 20:39

My children are having the first dose next week. My biggest concern is that variant will emerge which is more harmful to children and there’ll be a massive bundle to get children jabbed like the one at Christmas with Omicron (which was too late).

springsmiles · 04/04/2022 20:39

Im triple vaccinated, but my 15 yr old decided he didn't want the vaccine. We discussed the risks and I think he's old enough to make a decision.

However also has GHD invite for my 7 & 10 yr olds. I'm reluctant to give them the vaccine. They have no health problems both had Covid quite mildly.

Picklypickles · 04/04/2022 20:58

I don't think I'll be getting my children vaccinated, they both had covid last week and it was very mild, they were both absolutely fine with it. My 10yr old is currently on a waiting list for psychological support for a needle phobia, there's no way she is going to consent to having a jab! My 8yr old was the one I worried about catching covid as he is prone to respiratory infections but he had the least symptoms of any of us - just a headache on one day!

CatsArePeople · 04/04/2022 21:56

so... after all what came out about Pfizer, you still want to stick it to your kids? Madness

2ndBorn · 04/04/2022 22:01

DS who is 6 was asymptomatic with covid in November. I won’t be getting him the jab.

Cocodreams · 04/04/2022 22:15

@Porthia

I feel similarly to you OP.

I have given my kids all their vaccines to date, albeit with a slightly different schedule after doing some research.

However, I don’t really see the need for them to have these vaccines.

It doesn’t stop transmission or disease, especially at the super low dose that this age group get. And mine have all had covid in the last few weeks anyway. So surely they have “natural” immunity to the current variant circulating rather than the original version the vaccine was based on.

PLUS there is the niggling concern about long term impact. Yes covid itself may have worse heart-related consequences, or more, BUT my kids have already had covid. That ship has sailed and in any case the vaccine doesn’t stop you getting it full stop. I am triple jabbed and just had covid myself.

So any long term risk for covid has already happened. I can’t change that. I couldn’t help that and if they suffer long term consequences I won’t feel guilty because there was nothing I did or did not do to cause it.

I can’t say the same for the vaccine which, from what I can see, in the situation where the kids are healthy and have already had covid recently, offers little benefit at present with an, admittedly small, risk of future problems that I CAN avoid for now.

This.

We haven’t had the invite yet for our 7yo but he’s recently had Covid mildly anyway.

By the time next winter’s here the jab’s immunity is likely to have waned and there will probably be a new variant by then.

MordredsOrrery · 04/04/2022 22:30

Will be getting DC vaccinated. We have a close relative with long covid. From reading various articles it seems the vaccine may reduce the risk of developing that, which is a good enough reason for us to vaccinate. None of us have had covid.

hamstersarse · 04/04/2022 22:33

There’s not one reason I can think of to vaccinate a healthy 6 year child

maddy68 · 04/04/2022 22:34

I don't live in the UK. Most of the 5+ have been vaccinated here since before Xmas. It's definitely a personal choice

flower277 · 04/04/2022 22:36

I’m really not sure about my 5yo. Both me and DH are triple jabbed, our two teens are double jabbed. But since we were all vaccinated we have all (but DS 14) had covid. 5yo had no symptoms. I’ve got hypothyroidism since having covid 🤷🏼‍♀️

SparklyLeprechaun · 04/04/2022 22:43

I had both kids vaccinated but I hesitated a lot. I was very ill after my booster but they only had a sore arm for a day. I was and still am concerned about long term side effects, but I'm more concerned about covid (none of us have had it) and even more about long covid.

Greengagesnfennel · 04/04/2022 23:17

My daughter had vaccine today. The danger of getting long COVID with a lifetime ahead of her is something I would like to protect against. So much more life left to limit if you get it young. And too late once it's done you won't have any cure. ME sufferers have been around for years and no effective treatments. Also a bit worried about the brain effects of COVID, memory loss and brain fog means it 's doing some damage and we don't know what the long term effects of that are.