Immoral and dangerous - or sensible? Vaccination for 16 year old.

[CaptainCaveMum]

Locally many many healthy (not CV nor living with someone CV) 16 year olds are getting vaccinated. The majority of my DS’s friends have now had their first dose. I’m being encouraged (by other parents) to take DS for the vaccine.

I’m conflicted.

The JCVI has clearly said the risk (small) to these children outweighs the benefits (even smaller).
Morally I am uncomfortable about cheating the system when older and sicker people here and overseas would benefit more.

But.

From a social perspective, my unvaccinated DS may miss out on some things eg nightclubs, festivals.
And what if the JCVI are wrong?
And what if he catches COVID?

DS says he’ll do what I advise.
Please help me unpick this.

I wish my 16 year old could have it. I tried a walk in centre but they said no

Are you asking on behalf of yourself or a government department..or newspaper?

I'm CEV and my 12 year old has freely said that she will have it when it's rolled out .

Why is it cheating the system if they are being offered it?

What does your 16 year old want to do? It’s concerning he is this close to adulthood and unable to make basic autonomy decisions. Whether he takes up the vaccine offer or not, that individual vaccine wouldn’t be offered abroad regardless.

Where are you that all these 16 year olds are getting the vaccine?

And I know it’s totally beside the point, why is your DS going to nightclubs now? Has he got false ID?

In response to your question, if he gets covid and unless he has some major health issues, it’s highly likely he will either have incredibly minor symptoms or not even realise he has it.

Most other countries that are vaccinating are vaccinated from 12 up or are planning to.
The U.K. seem to be an outlier at only doing 18+

Our local walk in does 16 year olds (area of high incidence).

My 16yo daughter (and I) would love her to have a jab; they were doing scheme like this in our area but stopped before she was invited to get one.
She's worried about missing more school after very disrupted GCSEs, and also now about social events, concerts, festivals etc which she may soon find herself barred from. Her 18yo sister is physically smaller than her so it makes no sense that the government is pressuring one to get vaccinated but won't allow the other. We all want to do everything we can to get on with life.

My 17 yr old would have it in the blink of an eye. Physically he's an adult, but not 18 until next year. He works in hospitality and still wearing a mask as he doesn't feel safe.

I have little faith in the JVCI at this stage. It seems like there just stalling waiting for enough supplies for both this age group and the planned boosters. Pfizer was licensed for 16+ many months ago. Millions of under 18s in various countries have had it now or soon will be. Ireland are going to offer it to all 12-17 year olds. If I had a 16 year old and there was any chance of them getting it, I’d be there like a shot.

My 16 year old son had it, no problems, it was because on a family with CEV though, didn't realise it was open to all 16 yr olds. It was the Pfizer one.

The JCVI has clearly said the risk (small) to these children outweighs the benefits (even smaller)

Really? I don't think they have said this outright. JCVI only prioritise the vaccine, they are not responsible for assessing data. That is the MHRA.
The government are misleading the public about that to cover up a shortage of supply and/or some rather anti-vaxx sentiment near the heart of government.

The MHRA have at no time said that the risk outweighs the benefit for the over 12s - quite the opposite, the MHRA have approved the vaccine for ALL over 12s and based on their on-going monitoring of ALL the data (which they receive directly as the sole body responsible for pharmacovigilance or drug safety in the UK) they have not changed their assessment or made any change to the marketing authorisation (approval) of the Pfizer vaccine for ALL over 12s.

Get your 16 yo vaccinated if your DC wants it.

if you are worried about poorer nations access to vaccines, you can donate to Vaccinaid directly. The UK supply will at no time be put on a plane to Africa so that is not a valid excuse not to deny your 16 yo a vaccine.

not in uk but my teens have had their first dose.
school has been very disruptive for them and we hope that good vaccine uptake in their years will keep that to a minimum in the next year (gcse equivalent).

www.vaccinaid.org/

www.gov.uk/government/news/the-mhra-concludes-positive-safety-profile-for-pfizerbiontech-vaccine-in-12-to-15-year-olds

Ironically the above details about the safety of the Pfizer vaccine in over 12s is on the government's own website and states:

Dr June Raine, MHRA Chief Executive said:
“We have carefully reviewed clinical trial data in children aged 12 to 15 years and have concluded that the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective in this age group and that the benefits of this vaccine outweigh any risk."

Those are the scientific true facts, rather than anti-vaxxers spreading false claims and uncertainty and guilt for you.

Plus Pfizer has been approved as safe for ALL over 16s since December.

Vaccine safety and government supply policy are totally different things.

@bethelighthouse

Those are the scientific true facts, rather than anti-vaxxers spreading false claims and uncertainty and guilt for you.

The bat signal will have gone out though. There'll be here in a minute.

The bat signal will have gone out though. There'll be here in a minute
Got to avoid the 5G though

@Whichjab

Are you asking on behalf of yourself or a government department..or newspaper?

You can check my PPs - not a journalist, just a confused SAHM. It’s a genuine question.

If he's not sure maybe he can wait until he's closer to 18 and wants to be able to go to clubs.

I wish the government would just say that they want natural herd immunity in under 18s or it's a cost thing. I am sceptical why the JCVI have said no for now when other developed countries are vaccinating over 12s. There must be data from USA and Israel which supports vaccination ? If it's a supply issue why can't they put a future rollout date on it even if we are taking about 2022?

My 16 year old and almost all of his friends had their Pfizer vaccines months ago now, with no issues, and their lives are now fully back to normal.

My 18 year old and 20 year old had theirs, and are looking forward to a normal year at university.

Feeling fortunate not to be living in England and subject to the endlessly bizarre decision making there.

@AllTheSingleLadiess

If he's not sure maybe he can wait until he's closer to 18 and wants to be able to go to clubs.

I wish the government would just say that they want natural herd immunity in under 18s or it's a cost thing. I am sceptical why the JCVI have said no for now when other developed countries are vaccinating over 12s. There must be data from USA and Israel which supports vaccination ? If it's a supply issue why can't they put a future rollout date on it even if we are taking about 2022?

Indeed, by May 21st the US had vaccinated over 600,000 12-15 year olds.

I mean, obviously they all have a third arm now, but we're overlooking that :-)