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Original poster

How much data (and how long for) would you need to support vaccination of school children?

38 replies

Lucidas · 19/05/2021 06:54

I’m just curious.

The US vaccinated 600,000 12-15 year olds last week (about 3.5% of that age range). The attitude over there seems very different to what I see here, with a lot of enthusiasm for vaccinating young teens.

I assume that number will be up in the millions before long. Would that reassure you or not? (assuming no adverse effects)

OP posts:
Barbie222 · 19/05/2021 07:07

I'm already in favour. I've had enough of variants circulating in non-immunised groups.

bathsh3ba · 19/05/2021 07:35

I don't necessarily think it's unsafe but I don't see the benefit to most children so I think I'd want to see either evidence that we needed to vaccinate children to manage spread or that children were at risk. I don't think children should have to be vaccinated to compensate for adults who choose not to.

RoseWineTime · 19/05/2021 07:37

I’m for it.

nether · 19/05/2021 07:40

I think that over time the vaccine shouid be routinely offered to the over 16s, plus all those over 12 whose household contains a CEV or CV person.

Some people may well not form a good immune response because of other medical conditions, or be unable to have the jab at all, or just be one of the unlucky %age for whom the jab doesn't work. Offering vaccine to their households is a good protective step

nether · 19/05/2021 07:42

to compensate for adults who choose not to

Take up is over 90%, which has way exceeded expectation. I doubt anyone is formulating policy based on low uptake

Temp023 · 19/05/2021 07:56

They can vaccinate mine tomorrow as far as I’m concerned, I want her life back to normal.

ifonly4 · 19/05/2021 08:00

Given the US are doing it at the moment, then we have a few months to monitor it before we can start ourselves. That's good enough for me. The more people that are vaccinated the better. If young people are happy to have it (at that age you'd like to think it's with agreement), then less likely to transmit into the community. Also, they'll be protecting their friends, family especially elderly or CV relations, and help keep their own life on track in terms of school, activities, seeing friends, holidays etc.

LauraLovesLemons · 19/05/2021 08:04

@Temp023

They can vaccinate mine tomorrow as far as I’m concerned, I want her life back to normal.
Agree with you. It's not fair that DD2 will be the only family member not vaccinated. I felt such a sense of relief when DD1 got her first one, not so much for fear of her health but the feeling that her life WILL eventually get going again (she's 19 and got a jab through her university). I think older teens have lost more in this pandemic than any other group apart from perhaps the very vulnerable / shielded; these are formative years they will never get back; they should be out gaining independence and yet they've been stuck at home for months and months unable to do things that teens do.
CarrieBlue · 19/05/2021 08:06

I’m happy for mine to be vaccinated now

Lala134 · 19/05/2021 09:13

Would never give my child a new technology mRNA vaccine that is only emergency approved long term effects unkown and there is evidence that the vaccines change the innate immune system permanently the long term effects are unclear. There is also risk of ADE ehen in contact with new variants/other coronaviruses and pfizer's trial was on only 1000 kids. To me that is no where near enough to start rolling it out to millions of kids. Please remind me how many children and teens with no underlying issues have died from covid?

Orangebug · 19/05/2021 09:14

I'd be happy for my teens to be vaccinated now.

cls123 · 19/05/2021 09:37

watchful waiting for me to see what research emerges...i disagree with the childrens programme of flu vaccine as its essentially done for the benefit of older people who don't/won't have the vaccine and i personally dont agree with the ethics of that (whereas I am far more concerned about growing numbers of people choosing not to give their kids childhood vaccines such as MMR which are highly neccesary to prevent harm to children and young people...the
more we push multiple other vaccines I am fearful this makes people less likely to accept those that are most important for kids ).As has been demonstrated by the withdrawal of the AZ vaccine for younger adults, certain side effects will only become evident after large scale introduction. That said if AZ had been the only vaccine that had been developed successfully then I would have no compunction in having it and you can bet that the governement would quite rightly be promoting it to everybody....ultimately we have to look at the risk versus benefit of widescale medical interventions and as yet we do not have a crystal ball as to fully analyse implications of either COVID or regular vaccines on our youngest people. I would rather the govt funded the meningitis B vaccine that is not yet offered to all youngsters as it was only introduced into the free vaccine programme from 2015.

MRex · 19/05/2021 09:38

My friend's kids were 2 of those in the US. He has been vaccinated but has numerous conditions that make him extremely vulnerable, so it must be a great relief for the kids to get protection took reduce transmission risk.

My DS is a toddler. If it's trialled successfully for his age group and no issues for older children (at least 3 months data in under 11s) then we would vaccinate him. He's already had some antibodies from breastfeeding though so fine for now.

ineedaholidayandwine · 19/05/2021 09:40

I'd let my 4 year old get vaccinated if it was approved

everybodysang · 19/05/2021 09:40

I'm very much in favour and would be happy for mine to be vaccinated BUT I think it's extremely wrong from a moral position to start vaccinating children when so many very vulnerable populations across the world still haven't access to any vaccine at all.

ForThePurposeOfTheTape · 19/05/2021 09:42

My teens want the vaccines as they don't want to transmit the virus or end up in hospital. They know that hospitalization is unlikely but they go to school and have jobs that were open during lockdown and don't want to transmit to others.

NoSquirrels · 19/05/2021 09:45

My DC get the flu vaccine through school. I can't see any reason why they shouldn't be offered and take a CV vaccine if the research shows it is beneficial.

We're in a low risk area - has been low on cases throughout - and secondary schools are reporting some pupils sent home positive, anecdotally my DC says "lots of people off and the lines for the nurse were really long" ... it's been 3 days since they relaxed mask wearing and people are meeting up more, whether following "the rules" or not. Schools are a huge risk for transmission, always have been, secondary particularly. I'd be happy for my DC to be vaccinated and they would be happy too.

NoSquirrels · 19/05/2021 09:46

@everybodysang

I'm very much in favour and would be happy for mine to be vaccinated BUT I think it's extremely wrong from a moral position to start vaccinating children when so many very vulnerable populations across the world still haven't access to any vaccine at all.
This is a good point, though. If we are thinking globally (and we should be, this is a pandemic and therefore global co-operation is vital to limit and contain it) then we should be prioritising the vulnerable elsewhere.
ajmouse · 19/05/2021 09:50

Seems to be enough already, I'd say jab 'em.

I don't have kids, but if I did, pretty sure I'd still be happy to say that.

DumplingsAndStew · 19/05/2021 09:50

I'd be happy for mine (teens) to get it now.

TimeForLunch · 19/05/2021 10:02

No amount of data. Kids, unless CEV, do not need to be vaccinated.

herecomesthsun · 19/05/2021 10:24

No amount of further data, in that I'm alreadyvery happy for them to have it.

One child aged 9 is already part of a trial for 6 - 11 year olds.

For the other child, aged 12, it would be down to their choice. But I'd fully support vaccination if they wish (medical vulnerabilities so probably a good idea but up to them.

There are a lot of good reasons to go with vaccination and the risks are pretty small. Better the jab than getting covid,especially in a family with a tendency to auto immune disease.

As parents we have both been vaccinated.

herecomesthsun · 19/05/2021 10:29

As long as vulnerable families have the option of being vaccinated, then it would be reasonable to prioritise overseas BUT bear in mind the UK is a high risk country which has had a poor initial outcome with covid so it is reasonable to make sure our population has good protection before sending supplies elsewhere.

We had one of the worst initial death tolls in the world, remember.

Verite1 · 19/05/2021 10:44

I’m pro vaccine, kids have had all their jabs (as have I) but I would want to wait until the post roll out monitoring phase is completed before I consider it.

Lala134 · 19/05/2021 13:42

I'm horrified that people are ok giving children a vaccine with new technology (mNra) that has only been tested on 1000 kids. What if in every 1001 is a fatal side effect? You are ok rolling that out to millions? Knowing that most kids including those vulnerable on average are at 0.0002% risk of death? This forum is crazy