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Original poster

Would you vaccinate your child?

277 replies

rolloverrosie · 23/04/2021 11:28

Have just seen a post (in the daily Mail, sorry) suggesting that all over 12s could be offered a vaccine from September. It made mention of the AZ vaccine trials in children above 6 so I am unsure whether this vaccine is one of the ones planned for use?

This was along side the news that the az vaccine carries a 1 in 126000 chance of death.

Bearing in mind that 14 people under 20 have died of Covid.

How is this a sensible risk/benefit analysis?!

I am in my late 30s and when I did the Covid calculator my risk of dying if I caught Covid (which is obviously not a guaranteed thing) is 1 in 145000 so I am assuming the risk for a 12 year old is thousands of times less than that.

Who would vaccinate their children?

OP posts:
Pyewackect · 23/04/2021 11:33

Yes, I would.

randomlyLostInWales · 23/04/2021 11:36

Not sure.

My GCSE and A-level childen I'd mainly consider so their education wasn't disrupted again not so sure about youngest child who'd be in this 12+ group.

A-level students heading off to univeristy in September should be offered it - though most will be 18 so should be anyway though few will be turning 18 just before September.

If the numbers took off again in Autumn it would change the risk/benefit analysis but with high vaccine numbers in general population I'm not sure it will.

paralysedbyinertia · 23/04/2021 11:37

Assuming that all of the necessary trials etc had been carried out, yes I would.

Yes, the risk of death from covid is very low for young people, especially with the current low case rates, but the risk of long covid is significantly higher and will be even more so if we go into a third wave. The information that we currently have about suggest that the risks from the vaccine are vanishingly small. I trust that they will only be approved for children when the risks/benefits have been fully assessed.

My dd is nearly 16 and wants to be a doctor. She has followed the stories about the AZ vaccine with interest. She is very clear that, if and when she is offered a vaccine, she would like to take it up. I am not going to stop her.

Wildswim · 23/04/2021 11:38

No way. It's highly unethical and historically unprecedented to vaccinate a child against a disease which poses no risk to them. It's a very troubling development.

Plus the Covid jabs are not traditional vaccines - they are experimental gene therapy. Don't contradict me - this is fact and stated in the literature of the drug companies.

Anyone prepared to vaccinate their child is putting them at risk when they don't need to be.

I'm astounded it's even been mooted.

UsedUpUsername · 23/04/2021 11:39

Absolutely not. Higher risk for the vaccine than COVID for this age group. Unless they have a preexisting condition, why would you? Someone’s child will needlessly die from this intervention, sadly.

Hoppinggreen · 23/04/2021 11:39

My Dc are 12 and 16 and I would encourage them to have it but it would ultimately be their choice.
They both have The Flu vaccine

herecomesthsun · 23/04/2021 11:40

The vaccine trials have been paused.

We were part of it. My child is 9.

Who would vaccinate their child? us.

They had no side effects at all.

We have a family history of medical conditions that makes me think our family is safer vaccinated than getting covid.

No regrets about it.

randomlyLostInWales · 23/04/2021 11:40

Who would vaccinate their children?

It would be niceto have a vaccine for children who can have one but who have underlying conditions making their risk of covid higher - but not so sure about mass vaccination.

May depend on what restrictions remain/get introduced in society/ travel that would affect willness to take.

TinaYouFatLard · 23/04/2021 11:40

No. No way. I’ve had the vaccine myself and am being investigated for a possible sever reaction.

There are only 300 children in the trial. What if there is a 1/1000 chance of adverse effects? That’s a genuine question if anyone has a genuine answer.

randomlyLostInWales · 23/04/2021 11:46

No way. It's highly unethical and historically unprecedented to vaccinate a child against a disease which poses no risk to them. It's a very troubling development.

The main purpose of the school- aged annual flu vaccination programme is to reduce transmission in the community. Children can pass flu on to others in their immediate family and wider community, many of whom may be at higher risk from the complications of flu

ssets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/902790/Flu_vaccination_programme_briefing_for_school_team_and_headteachers.pdf

I'm fine with youngest having flu vaccine as part of school program as I'm asthmatic as are her siblings.

In fact about of flu was trigger for me and DS developing asthma so can see clear benefit there but the main reason it is done is to reduce flu in general population.

UsedUpUsername · 23/04/2021 11:51

@randomlyLostInWales

No way. It's highly unethical and historically unprecedented to vaccinate a child against a disease which poses no risk to them. It's a very troubling development.

The main purpose of the school- aged annual flu vaccination programme is to reduce transmission in the community. Children can pass flu on to others in their immediate family and wider community, many of whom may be at higher risk from the complications of flu

ssets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/902790/Flu_vaccination_programme_briefing_for_school_team_and_headteachers.pdf

I'm fine with youngest having flu vaccine as part of school program as I'm asthmatic as are her siblings.

In fact about of flu was trigger for me and DS developing asthma so can see clear benefit there but the main reason it is done is to reduce flu in general population.

So I know community transmission is the main argument for flu shots but the flu actually does kill children and the vaccine is quite safe

(there was a type for swine flu iirc that did cause kids to develop narcolepsy a few years ago so maybe not that safe but safer than the COVID shots for sure)

RolloTomassi · 23/04/2021 11:54

Absolutely not. The virus poses virtually no risk so I'd want to know the longterm outcomes first. If that's unhelpful in terms of wider community transmission then hard luck.

roguetomato · 23/04/2021 11:58

I would. The thing is, chance of dying from covid maybe low for children, but what about other complications?
It's not going to happen for while, so hopefully parents have more time to think about and compare the benefit of the vaccine against the risk of contracting covid.
But my dc is a teen now, so I would ultimately respect their choice, but so far, they are sure about getting vaccinated.

Submariner · 23/04/2021 12:00

Not meaning to be antagonistic, but I don't understand what you mean by this:
Bearing in mind that 14 people under 20 have died of Covid.

Is this globally or in the UK? And in what timeframe?

TellerTuesday · 23/04/2021 12:03

Absolutely not.

BogRollBOGOF · 23/04/2021 12:04

I've had the first round of the vaccine myself. My DCs have always been up to date with vacvines including flu.

The older the child, particularly 15+ in exam years, the greater the benefit in term of disruption mainly.

My two are 10 (y5) and 8. So my oldest is not so far off the secondary years, DS1 being y6 in the autumn. The vaccines are new, have common temporary, unpleasant effects and at this stage, for the age of children I have I'd be in a "not yet" mode because of the risk: benefits to their age.

I also have to consider DS1's ASD/sensory issues. If he reacts the same way that I did, faintness, total loss of energy spending the day in bed and fragile a day or two after, there is a long term issue of his association with any injections and a reasonable liklihood of a very negative anxious result and phobia.
For an illness that is most likely to present as an unpleasant cold, there are quite a few negatives to consider. If he was old enough to be Gillick competent and decide himself, I'm fine with that.

So, not yet.

For the later teenage years or clinically vulnerable children, the risk: benefit is different, and there are benefits in vaccination being avaliable u18.

Overdueanamechange · 23/04/2021 12:05

I happily had my first vaccine, and whilst I would like to see more research first, I would probably let my teens have it. The risk is that as the virus spreads and mutates, it could become dangerous to children. My DD had swine flu as a toddler and I would never want to see her that ill again, it was terrifying.

randomlyLostInWales · 23/04/2021 12:05

So I know community transmission is the main argument for flu shots but the flu actually does kill children and the vaccine is quite safe

My point was there is a president for vaccinating children for the main benefit being for someone else - plus you can argue covid does kill some children and the covid vaccine is quite safe though I agree flu is worse for that age group and flu vaccines have longer track record of safety.

I'm clearly not arguing for a mass vaccination program for children.

Personally I'd be quite wary but GCSE for eldest have been massively disrupted - hopefully low levels and vaccinated school/college staff means older two don't have their GCSe and A-levels affected next year and a teen vaccination program is deemed unncessary.

Topseyt · 23/04/2021 12:06

Yes. I absolutely would.

LastChanceToChange · 23/04/2021 12:07

@Pyewackect

Yes, I would.
Me too. Why wouldn't you? Safe and effective. Prevents spread/transmission. People need to see the bigger picture....not the 'I'm alright Jack' attitude
chalkyc2 · 23/04/2021 12:08

Yes - for the same reason that they also have the flu vaccine (to protect others) and to ensure they have a decent education ongoing...

UsedUpUsername · 23/04/2021 12:11

*My DD had swine flu as a toddler and I would never want to see her that ill again, it was terrifying

Ok, but swine flu killed hundreds of children in America alone (and we did not close down schools or force them to wear masks ...) so it actually was a danger to your child unlike COVID.

In fact, I think swine flu was actually milder than the seasonal flu for elderly and more deadly for children and younger adults.

StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind · 23/04/2021 12:14

Me too. Why wouldn't you? Safe and effective. Prevents spread/transmission. People need to see the bigger picture....not the 'I'm alright Jack' attitude

If they're at higher risk from coronavirus than the vaccine then absolutely I would. If the vaccine poses more potential risks to them then no I wouldn't. No way will I vaccinate them if that is a bigger risk to them, to prevent spread and transmission. How is that an 'I'm alright Jack' attitude? Why the hell would I care about random strangers more than my own DC?

UsedUpUsername · 23/04/2021 12:15

Me too. Why wouldn't you? Safe and effective. Prevents spread/transmission. People need to see the bigger picture....not the 'I'm alright Jack' attitude

COVID is literally less risky than the vaccine for that age group, that’s why. It just doesn’t make sense. Why would you introduce a risky intervention for children?

Nerdygirl · 23/04/2021 12:16

Totally agree with what @Wildswim

No way, perhaps once there are a few years research and the benefit outweighs the risk but not now

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