Would you let your child have the vaccine if it was available tomorrow?

[WhoAteAllTheMincePiez]

Having a chat with DH tonight. He’d be up for the vaccine if it was available tomorrow and wouldn’t mind our children (1 and 5) having it.
I’m the opposite. I wouldn’t want my children to have it.

I’m not an anti-vaxxer, I do believe this is very real, but I’m not comfortable or assured of what the long term side effects may be. I think back to the virginal mesh, formaldehyde etc. All safe until later on when it was found it wasn’t. I know you can model it and project t, but a projection, for me at least, isn’t time served.

Would you let your child have the vaccine if it was available tomorrow?

@daisypond

It hasn’t been tested on children

I think the point of this thread is asking a hypothetical question, i.e. if it was ever approved for children, would you let them have it

It’s not licences for children but there is provision within the government guidelines for some children to have it - specifically, CEV children with neurodevelopmental disorders requiring residential care.

I sincerely hope that it will be offered - not forced - to children who are CEV once all over 50s are vaccinated. Otherwise whilst adults will be released from shielding, children may end up having to continue to shield until they reach the magic 16 years old.

I don’t think children generally should be prioritised over adults for the vaccine; it makes sense to give it first to those at greatest risk of serious outcomes.

Many many medications are routinely given to children without being licensed for children, due to the complexities of getting approval for children. But whilst we don’t yet know if these vaccines reduce transmission, there seems little benefit in giving them to the majority of children who probably wouldn’t be seriously ill anyway. Those on the CEV list and also the wider Vulnerable list, I hope they look at soon.

I do think though that teachers ought to be offered it before other adults under 50.

No, but only because he has an allergy that is severe enough to require an autoinjector, he has had medication before that isn’t licensed for use in children.

The safety aspect wouldn’t concern me, if he didn’t have allergies I would be happy for him to have it, but I would be conscious that I wouldn’t know what level of immunity he would have.

The “new technology” is using viral mRNA. I don’t understand why people are so adverse to this but are happy to leave their children susceptible to covid infection- which would result in their cells becoming full of viral mRNA. It makes zero sense. Everything else in the vaccine has been used before.

For everyone saying “I wouldn’t have it because I’m not vulnerable”, have you heard of “public health benefits”?

I would have it myself. I would not have it given to my son unless proper trials in children had been done and it was approved for use.

Yes as soon as it's approved for children.

Thalidomide (not formaldehyde) was commonly used throughout pregnancy for morning sickness, a prolonged exposure for a fetus which caused birth defects, much different to a vaccine which would typically trigger a reaction very quickly. This is why they ask you to remain in the chemist or doctors surgery for a few minutes after a flu jab for example. Vaginal mesh is a foreign body implanted used to help with prolapse and incontinence which has affected some women negatively but not all, and is still used as a last resort. Again an irreversible procedure implanting a foreign body to correct a medical issue cannot be compared to a vaccine dose. The vaccine risk is minute compared to the benefits imo.

@Waxonwaxoff0

No, I probably wouldn't. I'd have it myself but not DS unless it was necessary

I don't intend to put you on the spot, but I find this attitude hypocritical.

When someone says they are understandably wary of the new Covid vaccines and would rather wait/not have them if offered, most people start dishing out vitriol, wishing all sorts of restrictions on them (e.g. travel, work, access to venues) and calling them selfish.

But when it comes to their own children they believe all this caution is justified.

Yes want my children to have a normal life

I think it would be more helpful if everyone posted their level of science education and then if they would vaccinate.
Such as never passed anything science related in school.. wouldn't let my kids have it. Have a science degree and studied the topics of viruses and immunisations..yes would let my kids have it when approved.

@mindutopia

I work in clinical trials, so I understand the science behind vaccine development

I don't think most are concerned about the process followed to develop the vaccine - I assume it must have been robust-, it's more that the vaccine has not been in use for long enough to be able to ascertain any delayed onset side effects (if any)

No for the exact same reasons as yourself. Pharma will push all money making medicine as safe until found out otherwise and by that time they have made their millions with enough to spare to cover lawsuits. But money can't fix everything. And there has been enough shitty medical scandals that I wouldn't take the risk. The government hasn't given the drug companies and themselves immunity for nothing. Maybe in 10/15 years ill reconsider.

@itsasmallworldafterall

I think it would be more helpful if everyone posted their level of science education and then if they would vaccinate

Many here are very highly educated on other subjects and have a brain they can use for critical thinking, thankfully

@MiniMaxi

For everyone saying “I wouldn’t have it because I’m not vulnerable”, have you heard of “public health benefits”?

I would have it myself. I would not have it given to my son unless proper trials in children had been done and it was approved for use.

This! The vaccine is not licensed for U16s, so no I would not give it to a 5 year old unless proper trials had been done. Whether I would sign my child up to take part in a vaccine trial is an entirely different question - and not the one that the OP asked.

Yes, although mine are teens.

No way.

It's not been tested on children and they have no idea what damage / side effects it could cause in the long term.

As other posters have said, yes, if it were licensed for use in children, and there were plenty of doses (not only for older and vulnerable adults here but in EVERY country) then, yes, I would let my children have it and the vaccine had been proved to reduce transmission then, yes, I would let my children have it.

But that's a lot of if it weres! In reality, I would be critical of anyone with a healthy child clamouring for a vaccine. There are many illnesses (including some common in children, like chickenpox) for which we have a safe and effective vaccine already, but these aren't part of the routine immunisation schedule.

I suspect this might end up being a situation like chickenpox where the NHS believes it's in the interest of adults to catch chickenpox as a child. www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/chickenpox-vaccine-questions-answers/

And in fact chickenpox for most children is more severe than Covid. I still have scars on my face from chickenpox as a child. (No long-term effects from Covid in March.) comparing like for like, when DS tested positive for covid he had no symptoms. He was poorly for ten days with chickenpox.

See here: www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/chickenpox-vaccine-questions-answers/

Yes. Without hesitating.

No

No - until they can prove that having the vaccine means you cannot pass on the virus I don't see the point in getting healthy children vaccinated. I also don't see why I am suddenly expected to put my faith in both the Conservative Party and multi billion pound drug companies.

Yes I would. My eldest is 14 though so likely to have capacity to decide himself and he has said he’d choose to have it.

Ds is 10 and medically vulnerable. He was shielded from March, he went back to school in September, but his Dr then said he would be safer remote learning and so he has been since half term, and will be at the start of next term.
I would definitely like him vaccinated and hope that there is some plan to approve a vaccine suitable for children like ds (I know it isn't a huge number, but I have several friends whose children are in similar boats and it feels as though we ate having to try and find our way through this with very little information from anyone).

The Oxford Vaccine was going to include children from 5+ at the beginning of their trials, does anyone know what happened here?

@itsasmallworldafterall

I think it would be more helpful if everyone posted their level of science education and then if they would vaccinate. Such as never passed anything science related in school.. wouldn't let my kids have it. Have a science degree and studied the topics of viruses and immunisations..yes would let my kids have it when approved.

Interesting assumption to make that low level of education=anti vaxxer

You should join a few fb natural parenting groups.... it’s astonishing the level of wealth and education and how majority income them don’t vaccinate so it’s not always the way you assume it’ll be

Income-of them

For everyone saying “I wouldn’t have it because I’m not vulnerable”, have you heard of “public health benefits”?

I’m not sure the science is clear yet on whether vaccination will protect other people. From what the scientists were saying they know that the vaccine reduces the severity of the disease but there is less certainty on wether those who have had the vaccine can still spread it to others. I may have misunderstood though.

Of course. I will be vaccinated as soon as possible, and if it’s licensed for children, the DC will be too.