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Original poster

To vaccinate DD 14 while in US?

24 replies

majurormi · 19/07/2021 11:47

We're dual citizens and going on holiday to the US next week. I'm torn, do I get my 14yo dd the 1 dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or wait until they roll it out in the UK, if they roll it out?

Pros: 1) protection v covid. 2) makes travelling abroad easier 3) she might not have to isolate if a contact
Cons: 1) not approved for that age group here 2) if boosters given it will have to be another vaccine 3) long-term unstudied risk for limited risk of covid.

Help, I'm torn!

OP posts:
ChimneyPot · 19/07/2021 11:48

I didn’t think J&J was approved for under 18s.
I think the US is only doing Pfizer for under 18s so you would need to be there long enough to get a second dose.

OchonAgusOchonOh · 19/07/2021 12:03

If you're going to be there longer than 3 weeks she could probably get both doses of pfizer.

I know some people who have done similar here (Ireland). They got the first pfizer jab in their home country and then got J&J here. They got their passport from the J&J. There is no research into doing that so I would be a little reluctant to take that approach. Plenty of research showing AZ followed by an mRNA jab is more effective than 2 AZ.

Original poster
majurormi · 19/07/2021 12:04

You can get J&J for over 12s there. I have an appointment but am on the fence.

OP posts:
catelina · 19/07/2021 12:16

I don't think i'd be keen for a teen to have a vaccine not approved for that age group in the UK, because we don't yet know what the future consequences might be for travel, or for future immunity if she has another vaccine subsequently. Too many unknowns for comfort IME

ChimneyPot · 19/07/2021 12:17

@majurormi

You can get J&J for over 12s there. I have an appointment but am on the fence.
Is that a very recent change?

The CDC are still saying over 18 for Jansen on their website.

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines.html

ChimneyPot · 19/07/2021 12:25

spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2021/07/01/johnson-johnson-covid-vaccine-youth-kids-

If you are talking about her taking part in this clinical trial starting soon then I don’t think I would.
I would just wait and get Pfizer if possible.

fairlygoodmother · 19/07/2021 12:27

The J&J vaccine isn’t authorised for children. You have an appointment but I don’t think they will go ahead with giving the vaccine.

I would get her a single dose of the pfizer if that’s all you have time for.

user1477249785 · 19/07/2021 12:28

We're in a similar situation but here for three weeks. We got DS the Pfizer jab without hesitation.

fairlygoodmother · 19/07/2021 12:28

It won’t make any difference to isolation or quarantine rules for her but will provide some protection.

EileenGC · 19/07/2021 12:30

How long are you going there for? Any chance she could have Pfizer? I know various people between the ages of 16-28 who got Janssen, and most of them had bad side effects. Nothing serious, but high fever, headaches, chills... for 2-3 days, and feeling quite rough for the week following the vaccine. Quite annoying from what they say.

Of course it could also happen with Pfizer but the side effects are normally not as strong - I'm early 20s and everyone in my age group got a sore arm and a slight headache for 24 hours, nothing else - so for a young teen I'd prefer going down the Pfizer/Moderna route. Slightly better protection as well.

UsedUpUsername · 19/07/2021 12:33

As others have said, only the Pfizer is approved for use in under-18s so the decision looks already made for you

paddlingon · 19/07/2021 12:36

You can only get Pizfer for dc in the USA.

But if you are staying for three weeks I would definitely do this.

It is easily available.

ZZTopGuitarSolo · 19/07/2021 12:45

@majurormi

You can get J&J for over 12s there. I have an appointment but am on the fence.
Where is the appointment?
HSHorror · 19/07/2021 13:46

I wouldnt give j&j as same coot risk as az

cherin · 19/07/2021 14:02

Keep in mind though that the NhS app would not necessarily recognise and register a vaccine abroad. I know GPs can manually record the data, but I don’t think it’d show up on the NHS app (which she might use for travel?) at least not until they update the system.
I’m in a similar situation with Italy but I think I’ll wait out because it’s only a matter of months, DS is 17.5, and I’d rather he gets his shots and they are recorded here…

hennybeans · 19/07/2021 16:42

We're dual citizens and will be there for three weeks over Christmas so I'm thinking about doing it if it's still a no from the UK.
Everywhere I've read said they can only have Pfizer. Not sure how you've booked for a under 16 to get j&j?

ZZTopGuitarSolo · 19/07/2021 17:55

OP will your 14yo be following the CDC guidelines for unvaccinated travellers arriving in the US?

wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/covid-4/coronavirus-united-kingdom

It says...

Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel.

Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days.

If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.

If you don’t get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.

Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.

Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.

Frazzled2207 · 19/07/2021 18:45

I wouldn’t be giving her j&j as hardly anybody in the UK has had it. This could cause problems further down the line.
If in the US long enough I’d probably try and get two doses of Pfizer for her

ragged · 19/07/2021 19:06

What ZZTopGuitarSolo said.
I don't like the myocarditis risk myself, from Pfizer.

FlowerArranger · 19/07/2021 19:10

Keep in mind though that the NhS app would not necessarily recognise and register a vaccine abroad. I know GPs can manually record the data, but I don’t think it’d show up on the NHS app (which she might use for travel?) at least not until they update the system.

As I found to my cost...

As far as the CDC recommendation goes, it's just that: a recommendation. Quarantine requirements etc are handled on a state by state basis.

actorbynight · 19/07/2021 19:13

Just out of interest, I didn't know the USA border was open to holiday makers yet?

ZZTopGuitarSolo · 19/07/2021 19:20

@FlowerArranger

Keep in mind though that the NhS app would not necessarily recognise and register a vaccine abroad. I know GPs can manually record the data, but I don’t think it’d show up on the NHS app (which she might use for travel?) at least not until they update the system.

As I found to my cost...

As far as the CDC recommendation goes, it's just that: a recommendation. Quarantine requirements etc are handled on a state by state basis.

They are but given that the CDC has just started warning Americans not to travel to the UK because the risk of Covid there is so high, I'd hope that travellers coming from there would follow CDC guidelines.
ZZTopGuitarSolo · 19/07/2021 19:22

@actorbynight

Just out of interest, I didn't know the USA border was open to holiday makers yet?
It's always been open to US citizens.
GlencoraP · 21/07/2021 07:55

I has relatives with US passports who live on another continent who are flying to US to get jabs, it seems to be quite common and several of their friends have got their dc vaccinated this way

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