London parents - will you be giving your kids under 10 the polio booster?

[Digimoor]

I just got a text with details of the polio booster they are offering
Dependent on age it will be a 6 in 1 or 3 in 1/ 4 in 1 jab with the other childhood vaccines included (eg Diphtheria, Tetanus, Whooping cough etc)

IABU to think my kid is fully vaccinated so why bother?

YABU = I will give my kids the booster
YANBU = I won't

I don't live in London. But why would I second guess the experts? They aren't doing this just for the fun of it.

I don't know why you wouldn't.

My youngest is only just too old to be offered this but if they’re weren’t I would jump at the chance.

1. Polio can be just so so horrible in kids
2. Both the vaccines you have mentioned have been around for a really long time and are very safe
3. I trust the public health experts that they are offering the boosters because it is needed to help protect children

You need to make your own decision for your own kids though.

100% definitely would.

Friend of mine had polio as a child and was permanently disabled.

What possible reason would there be not to vaccinate any child who can be vaccinated against such an awful illness.

Is it only London being offered it?

I'm not in london but if we were offered yes we would accept. My DCs have had BCG, Covid and the Meningitis one that wasn't available to them under the NHS due to age at the time.

Vaccines don't last forever and this strain may be different from the one your children were vaccinated against previously.

I was fully vaccinated against whooping cough as a child, still caught it in my 40s - highly unpleasant experience.

Please get your children vaccinated

I'm in London but youngest child is nearly 12. If they were in the age range I would take up the offer. Mine are fully vaccinated with the usual childhood schedule but if the health people consider it worrying enough to instigate this extra vaccination then I think it's a no brainer. Polio is an awful disease and we are incredibly lucky to never see it now.

www.gov.uk/government/news/all-children-aged-1-to-9-in-london-to-be-offered-a-dose-of-polio-vaccine

My DP's friend had it as a child and has a withered leg. He is really suffering in old age. So yes, horrible disease.

It's because not enough people took up the vaccinations first time round that herd immunity is too low in London, hence the need for this.

Being fully vaccinated doesn’t stop you from getting the actual disease. It produces antibodies so if you do catch it your body has a better immune response.

Absolutely will be doing my kids when they are offered it (we're south London so not been offered yet)

My uncle had polio as a child and lost the use of his left arm to it. No way am I taking any risks with polio.

What they have found seems to be live virus from the older oral vaccine. I think this is just a precaution, but it such a horrific illness they won't take chances.

Why on earth would you NOT?

Absolutely. I went to school with someone who was permanently disabled from polio. We’re 40 miles outside London but I am hoping my under 10 is offered the booster.

Yes I will be- very grateful for it

Yes as soon as we possibly can. My aunt died as a teenager of a complication after polio. Awful.

Yes. Waiting for the text to book it.

Why wouldn't you? Polio is horrible.

I am not in London nor do I have children yet but as my uncle contracted polio as a child and seeing it first hand I 100% would do anything to prevent anyone having it.

Of course, very happy to follow the expert medical and scientific advice above my own limited knowledge and experience on the topic.

Not in London and adult children. My Uncle was paralysed from the waist down due to Polio. He died at sixty due to polio problems, it’s now known as Post Polio Syndrome. Would definitely be organising for my children to have the booster if young enough etc.

This

Why the hell wouldn't you? I think people have really lost the plot now. It's very safe and polio is not a nice illness. Literally don't get why anyone wouldn't get it??

Two members of my family were left disabled by polio.

IABU to think my kid is fully vaccinated so why bother?

Then I would think you are stupid.

It isn't hard to find information on the fact there are serious gaps in the number of children who have been vaccinated against Polio in London. You want your own children to have enough antibodies to fight the disease if they catch it so they don't suffer life altering disabilities.

I'm another one who knew people damaged by polio, and would be queuing up for vaccination if I had kids in London.

I suspect younger folk are much less aware of the damage polio causes, because vaccination programmes have been so successful in reducing the number of polio-injured people they encounter.