School pupils vaccinated from September

[Totalbeach]

This is in lots of papers today. Such as:

www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/19274021.secondary-school-pupils-set-get-covid-jab-september/

And:

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/02/nhs-england-draws-up-plan-to-give-covid-jabs-to-children-12-and-over

What’s your reaction?

Mine is that I 100% won’t be allowing my children to be vaccinated.

In the whole pandemic so far, 12 children under 15 have died in the U.K. That increases to 32 in the under 20s. The mortality rate is vanishingly tiny. A huge percentage of kids don’t even get symptoms at all.

The government has assured us till they are blue in the face that schools are safe and that children don’t spread it so it will be interesting to see what kind of enormous gaslighting they attempt to pull off to persuade parents they now need to vaccinate their kids.

The long term effects of the vaccines are totally unknown and recent events with AZ have proved rather horribly that even after a vaccine is rolled out, serious effects can come to light. Including events that disproportionately affect certain age groups.

I’m fully vaccinated (including first Covid vaccine) as are my kids but there is no way I’d let them be vaccinated in September. With any of the vaccines.

@FinallyHere

The government has assured us till they are blue in the face that schools are safe and that children don’t spread it so it will be interesting to see what kind of enormous gaslighting they attempt to pull off to persuade parents they now need to vaccinate their kids.

Surely you are being disingenuous here. It can't have escaped your notice that the leader of HM'd current government are no strangers to the 'use whatever current truth is expedient'

Last year they were keen to have students back in school to provide childcare, so that parents could get back to work. And the outbreaks that followed that approach.

This year , children can be vaccinated.

Why would you hesitate, if only to protect teachers and ensure that schools can remain open.

Why wouldn't you ?

Right. Vaccinate everyone over 12, and you can reopen your secondary schools and universities without any worries about outbreaks or bubbles bursting or quarantining.

But it doesn't fit with the 'magical thinking' approach that the UK government has taken to Covid in schools so far, so I doubt it will happen.

Why would you hesitate, if only to protect teachers and ensure that schools can remain open.

Why wouldn't you ?

Because it’s not actually good parenting to risk your child’s health or safety to protect others. We know nothing about the long term effects of these new vaccines in growing adolescents. And schools CAN remain open if the vulnerable are vaccinated. Because most kids won’t even get sick.

We're in USA and Pfizer was okayed for use in 12-15 year olds last week, so both my teens have had their first dose and will be having their second in three weeks. I don't really care what other families decide to do, but we do a lot of travelling/going out and they don't want to be left out of that if/when there are vaccine passports etc required.

Both DC were very keen to have the shots, one because she's on the spectrum and seems disproportionately scared of passing Covid to someone vulnerable; the other is just sick of the whole thing and sees this as drawing a line under it. In both their schools, getting the vaccine is very much the thing to do and those kids who don't will be the odd ones out among other kids and families. (Probably goes without saying that we're not in a right-leaning state.)

Kids don’t be need vaccinating

Even the JCVI said it was “an ethical issue given there’s no benefit to children in vaccinating them, purpose would be to only protect society”

Whilst I agree in ‘the bigger picture’ and had the vaccine myself, my teens won’t be having it as hardly any kids have been hospitalised (even if you include cev) and as as such by not vaccinating, it won’t affect any lockdown or restrictions

I also think it’s questionable as a parent to put society (who can’t be arsed to vaccinate themselves) above your child

Looking at the fact 10% uk plan on not having a vaccine, I will not be using my child to give them protection they can’t be arsed taking themselves

The government has assured us till they are blue in the face that schools are safe and that children don’t spread it so it will be interesting to see what kind of enormous gaslighting they attempt to pull off to persuade parents they now need to vaccinate their kids.

Because children don't just spend time in schools? They spend time in cinemas, coffee shops etc, and in other people's houses, where they could catch it, and around people who might be vulnerable and to whom they could pass on the virus, even if they're not seriously ill themselves.

my teens won’t be having it

If your children are teens, it'll be their decision, won't it?

@Nandocushion

We're in USA and Pfizer was okayed for use in 12-15 year olds last week, so both my teens have had their first dose and will be having their second in three weeks. I don't really care what other families decide to do, but we do a lot of travelling/going out and they don't want to be left out of that if/when there are vaccine passports etc required.

Both DC were very keen to have the shots, one because she's on the spectrum and seems disproportionately scared of passing Covid to someone vulnerable; the other is just sick of the whole thing and sees this as drawing a line under it. In both their schools, getting the vaccine is very much the thing to do and those kids who don't will be the odd ones out among other kids and families. (Probably goes without saying that we're not in a right-leaning state.)

Yes, I’m British living in the US and the attitude’s completely different over here. A group of DS’s friends (12/13) all went together to receive their first vaccination over the weekend. I’ve received emails from my DC’s schools urging parents to vaccinate their teenagers. I haven’t signed DS up yet, but I seem to be in the minority among our friends, some of whom work at a world-famous teaching hospital, including one who’s a leading authority on Covid over here. So I’m getting a totally different message.

no my teens are 13 /14 and no they wont be having it because last i checked they can't interpret scientific data (i'm scientist by job so have some idea)

I'm not against vaccines - like i said i had both myself. I just don't see reason for kids when kids don't get it any worse than flu - in fact i'm sure most get flu worse but perhaps that's more anecdotal.

I'm UK and so they haven't every been offered vaccinations for flu or chicken pox etc. I do vaccinate for everything else inc cervical cancer etc. But vaccinating something for 'society reasons' (confirmed by JVCI and Chris witty) - doesnt sit right with me AT THIS MOMENT.

Totally open to change my mind as and when science comes forward. I will hapily vaccinate:

a) if they are at risk
b) for society reasons if and when confirmed safe

Given all the new data of AZ amongst young groups i shall be waiting a long time given it impacts no one if kids get it or not.

I live in a town full of doctors and we have a huge take up rate for teens getting the vaccine. 79% I believe it was last time I looked. We’re running a vaccine clinic in the school to try to meet the demand.

People are so ready for life to get back to normal. No more masks indoors from a week today, and no capacity limits in less than a month IIRC. This is in a very Covid-careful state.

Summer camps and sports back to normal. Vaccinated teens can get jobs, travel, go into each other’s houses.

All the parents I know are pretty desperate to get their kids vaccinated.

those vulnerable should have had vaccines by the way and if not then sorry but that is chance they take - if they can't take the risks of vaccines they can think again asking my kids to do it for them

why do parents care when kids one get ill really and vulnerable are vaccinated? why are kids even on agenda? Every year the UK vaccinates the elderly and flu risk groups- kids arent in that sector so why for covid?

@Watapalava. Rightly or wrongly, there’s a huge emphasis on preventive medicine here. My kids get their flu shots every year, as do DH and I. I’ve also been eligible for mammograms since I turned 40 and we all have annual physicals. The children see a pediatrician, not a GP.

Perhaps we’re over-cautious/over-medicating, I don’t know, but that’s the typical approach where I currently am.

Since my low-risk stepsister died of flu in the UK I’ve taken their ‘preventative healthcare’ recommendations with a huge pinch of salt.

@Watapalava

why do parents care when kids one get ill really and vulnerable are vaccinated? why are kids even on agenda? Every year the UK vaccinates the elderly and flu risk groups- kids arent in that sector so why for covid?

Look childrens flu vaccines

www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/child-flu-vaccine/

Yes, my children's schools in the US plead with parents every year to get the flu shot for their kids. Chicken pox vax is on the schedule and all children get it. I would definitely say that the US is far too heavy on what they call preventative medicine (and what I call shameless profiteering), but vaccines are useful and safe and I'm in favour of them.

Vaccine refusers, what do you make of the 29 children who died from covid in the UK?

Or the 1300 babies who have died from covid in Brazil?

@Nandocushion

Yes, my children's schools in the US plead with parents every year to get the flu shot for their kids. Chicken pox vax is on the schedule and all children get it. I would definitely say that the US is far too heavy on what they call preventative medicine (and what I call shameless profiteering), but vaccines are useful and safe and I'm in favour of them.

I think the insurance system has a lot to do with it as well. Better to prevent an illness than pay out when someone gets ill! Hence the annual physicals, mammograms and smear at a relatively young age, etc.

Please do thorough research before giving your child any Covid-19 vaccine. The UK Medical Freedom Alliance website is a good place to start.
There is zero long-term safety data on these vaccines. Children have almost zero risk from Covid-19. It's all risk, no benefit when it comes to kids.
If you don't want kids to be vaccinated until there is more long-term safety data available, please sign this parliamentary petition: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/586017

I think most MNers are not qualified to undertake proper research, through lack of scientific qualifications and/or access to enough databases to do a proper literature search.

Reading internet sites (which often have a bias) is 'research' not actual research

@FuckeryOmbudsman

I think most MNers are not qualified to undertake proper research, through lack of scientific qualifications and/or access to enough databases to do a proper literature search.

Reading internet sites (which often have a bias) is 'research' not actual research

Quite.

I followed the guidance of the 3 epidemiologists I know and trust, plus the advice of our doctors.

I've just been reading about how the CDC's advisory committee has looked into reports that young vaccine recipients (predominantly male adolescents) developed myocarditis (an inflammation of the heart muscle) typically 4 days after receiving mRNA vaccines. So that's a potential adverse event and they are recommending further study into it.

www.livescience.com/myocarditis-covid-19-vaccines.html

The condition, called myocarditis, is also somewhat common, and the rate seen so far in vaccinated people does not differ from the baseline expected in the population, meaning there may be no link.

Cases of the heart condition following the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine have also been reported in Israel and Europe, and regulators there have so far found no link to the vaccines.

www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/covid-long-haulers-long-term-effects-of-covid19#:~:text=SARS%2DCoV%2D2,palpitations%20and%20rapid%20heartbeat.

Whereas myocarditis as a result of Covid is become increasingly obvious - from Johns Hopkins...

Long-hauler coronavirus symptoms in children and teens

It’s not yet known whether children who have had COVID-19 are more or less likely than adults to experience continuing symptoms. But long-term COVID-19 in children is a possibility, showing up as fatigue, depression, shortness of breath and other long-hauler symptoms.

Amanda Morrow, M.D., a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, is part of the multidisciplinary team at Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Pediatric Post COVID-19 Rehabilitation Clinic, which addresses lingering coronavirus symptoms in children and teens. She says it isn't clear why long COVID-19 symptoms affect some children and not others.

“We are seeing patients who are often very high-functioning, healthy children who did not have any previous illnesses or medical conditions,” she says, noting that many of the kids being treated at the clinic only had mild bouts of COVID-19.

Heart inflammation after COVID-19 is a concern, especially among young athletes returning to their sports after a mild or even asymptomatic case of the coronavirus. They should be screened for any signs of heart damage to ensure it is safe for them to resume activity.

Kids who have experienced the (thankfully) very rare complication of COVID-19 called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C, can be left with serious heart damage, and should be followed by a pediatric cardiologist.

@ZZTopGuitarSolo
I followed the guidance of the 3 epidemiologists I know and trust, plus the advice of our doctors.

Yes, I have been and will be following the advice of a variety of drs (including a paediatric respiratory specialist and a leading expert in genetics - specifically my ds's condition)...which is why it's so frustrating when posters are so dismissive of there being any review so to children, even cev children.. with the implication being that vaccination is unnecessary and the recommendation of shielding was naivety!!

@Watapalava, what scientific field are you in?

DD wants it and I want her to have it as my DF can't be vaccinated so it means we can all return to normal in our family.

Would rather she had a tested vaccine than a random virus that behaves unpredictably and which no one knows the long term effects of catching .

[quote JoRoMo]Please do thorough research before giving your child any Covid-19 vaccine. The UK Medical Freedom Alliance website is a good place to start.
There is zero long-term safety data on these vaccines. Children have almost zero risk from Covid-19. It's all risk, no benefit when it comes to kids.
If you don't want kids to be vaccinated until there is more long-term safety data available, please sign this parliamentary petition: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/586017[/quote]
There are current Pfizer trials for vaccinating children. They've applied for approval to use for children.

Children are at risk from Covid. No person is safe unless they're vaccinated or have immunity.
Children are known to spread it widely.

Once children are vaccinated they can eventually be at school without being in bubbles and having isolation. Back to normality. Plus the vaccinated children protect the children that are unable to get the vaccine.