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Covid

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Original poster

Are they looking into vaccinating young children?

75 replies

SparklesandGold · 12/08/2021 22:32

Like babies, toddlers, kids and adolescents?

Surely if this went ahead they could give the vaccines out in schools to speed it up?

OP posts:
HungryHippo11 · 12/08/2021 22:40

Apart from children who are extremely vulnerable, I don't see why they would need to be vaccinated. We know that children are very unlikely to become ill with covid. I would rather see those jabs go as boosters for the vulnerable or be sent to countries who have yet to vaccinate their elderly and vulnerable people.

The reason covid has been so bad is its a novel virus. If we let the kids catch it as kids, they would develop natural immunity like we have to other common coronaviruses and similar diseases, so we don't get very ill with them as adults despite not having been vaccinated.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 12/08/2021 22:44

I wouldn't want my 8 year old to have it.

ZednotZee · 12/08/2021 22:46

Let's hope not.

Original poster
SparklesandGold · 12/08/2021 22:49

@Waxonwaxoff0

I wouldn't want my 8 year old to have it.
Well of course, it’s not mandatory. But I’m sure there are parents who will want their kids to have it if and when that becomes available.
OP posts:
PicsInRed · 12/08/2021 22:50

Aside from the fact we already mass vaccinate children in school against flu, specifically to protect the elderly and vulnerable, we know that covid can evolve quickly so vaccination for children will potentially protect them from a nastier strain. It's up to parents though so, as with other vaccines, make your own choice and accept the choices of others.

KaleJuicer · 12/08/2021 22:52

Yes - there are currently clinical trials underway with 5-12 year olds in them.

Original poster
SparklesandGold · 12/08/2021 23:19

I just think that the more people vaccinated, less people will require hospital treatment. Children are humans too and can get sick.

It will also help bring transmission rates down even more too

OP posts:
HSHorror · 12/08/2021 23:24

Hopefully as even if we just keep 10d isolation with covid that could be 10dx2 every year off school.
Per child.
So bad for their education and for parents covering that.
Then there is the effects on travel/trips in uk or out. Possibly being stuck on a school trip abroad.
Missing important things like nativities/exams/music exams/sport competition/club activities.
Then there is the days off for testing too

EasterIssland · 12/08/2021 23:27

@HSHorror

Hopefully as even if we just keep 10d isolation with covid that could be 10dx2 every year off school. Per child. So bad for their education and for parents covering that. Then there is the effects on travel/trips in uk or out. Possibly being stuck on a school trip abroad. Missing important things like nativities/exams/music exams/sport competition/club activities. Then there is the days off for testing too
Kids don’t have to self isolate from Monday on “ From Monday 16 August, people who are double jabbed or aged under 18 will no longer be legally required to self-isolate if they are identified as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case. The change was announced last month, as part of step 4 of the Government's COVID-19 roadmap.1 day ago” www.gov.uk/government/news/self-isolation-removed-for-double-jabbed-close-contacts-from-16-august
MushMonster · 12/08/2021 23:29

Children, specially teenagers are currently being vaccinated in other countries.
USA has recently published a summer camp findings where the staff (all double jabbed), and teenagers did not get many cases of covid at all. But it spread quickly and abundantly through the younger, unvaccinated group.
I think that will be quite representstive of what will happen in schools.
But UK has decided not to vaccinate them, only CV may get it.

pastaparadise · 12/08/2021 23:31

I wouldn't want my young dc to have it until much more research done.

Givemeallthegin8 · 12/08/2021 23:40

I’m in Ireland and from today 12-15 year olds can get their vaccine
My own dc are too young but personally I would not get mine vaccinated.
Am pro vaccine- double jabbed myself , have paid for chicken pox vaccine for dc- but all the issues coming out about menstrual cycles messed up ( myself included ) I would be concerned about fertility issues in the future .

Tealightsandd · 12/08/2021 23:52

@KaleJuicer

Yes - there are currently clinical trials underway with 5-12 year olds in them.
Yes. Trials are underway.

But right now, I'm not sure the UK has enough supply to do all 12+, let alone any younger age group.

If we let the kids catch it as kids, they would develop natural immunity like we have to other common coronaviruses and similar diseases, so we don't get very ill with them as adults despite not having been vaccinated.

Pure guesswork. You cannot possibly know. Covid is likely not a natural virus. It's potentially a leak from a lab - The Wuhan Institute of Virology. Human modified gain of function research (possible bioweapon). There is no way we can confidently predict how long any possible immunity might last, nor what long term effects could result from infection.

MercyBooth · 13/08/2021 01:00

Just think ...............in just one short year ago that post would have been deleted. And quite possibly reported to MN by the very person who has posted it!!!

Tealightsandd · 13/08/2021 01:13

Do you mean my post Mercy?

I've always found it an incredible coincidence that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was doing research on bat coronaviruses at the time. Of course could just be a coincidence, but I think the WHO and Biden are right to investigate the accidental leak possibility.

Btw I don't tend to report posts. I support freedom of speech and prefer to debate a view I disagree with. I do report racist, ageist, disablist posts but that aside, I either ignore or present my counter argument.

Tealightsandd · 13/08/2021 01:21

To clarify. When I mention bioweapon, I don't mean that China deliberately leaked the virus. If it was a leak, it was clearly accidental. All the major countries do bioweapon research. That's all it is generally. Research. For defence as much as anything else (i.e. research into ways of fighting/treating it, etc). As with work on nuclear weapons, it's not a China specific thing.

Tealightsandd · 13/08/2021 01:25

I'm not condoning or condemning gain of function research. Simply pointing out that, just as with nuclear and AI research, it's not a secret that it happens.

Wellbythebloodyhell · 13/08/2021 06:55

Given there's no approved vaccine for under 12s it's not going to be happening any time soon for that age group. I think maybe they'll see how this winter pans out before we offer to 12-15 who aren't already eligible

scaevola · 13/08/2021 07:00

There are clinical trials underway, and I think it will be good to know aboutbsafety in the image group.

Other than DC who are themselves CV/CEV, or who have a CEV sibling/parent, I think it is unlikely that vaccination will be offered to those below secondary school age.

Unless a future mutation means that DC become considerably more ill. Then parents will clamour for it, and be very glad that the trials are being done nowso it can be used if ever needed

Foliageeverywhere122 · 13/08/2021 09:46

issues coming out about menstrual cycles messed up ( myself included ) I would be concerned about fertility issues in the future.

See this posted a lot and I think important to point out that changes to the menstrual cycle are very common with infection or if there's immune response involvement like with vaccines (for example the HPV vaccine).

Changes to the menstrual cycle don't equal changes in fertility or fertility issues.

HSHorror · 13/08/2021 17:50

And lots of menstral changes reported by people with covid.
It might even be as simple as anaemia caused by making antibodies.

Obviously i realise kids wont be contacts i mean kids will likely catch it 1-2 times a year and have to isolate when testing positive. Missing up to 20 days.
There could therefore be a large education loss for those kids over time. Plus some kids are more prone to coughs or temps etc so have to test. ( how are schools to relax about symptoms if kids are very likely to have caught it. ). Also longer term if adults all get pfizer so rarely get symptoms or if the vaxs improve to 99% no symptoms there will be a big difference.
So imagine they vax 16+ as now but youngest gcse students arent 16 till Aug. They could face a lot more distruption.

OnTheBrink1 · 13/08/2021 18:02

The problem / worry I have is with people saying bring the vaccine out for younger kids- it’s not mandatory, if you don’t want your child to have it ,
Don’t! But as we have seen this past 6 months it doesn’t work like that.
I would not feel happy for my kids under 10 to have the vaxx just yet until it’s out of emergency use and more data is known. However if other children were getting it and the country was in trouble again with cases / hospitalisations, the pressure is enormous to vaccinate and this time the pressure would be shifted to your child. Would other kids be asking them why they are not having jt? Would they not be welcome to play or go to parties? The pressure to vaxx if you are an unvaxxed adult is enormous and heavy. I would be in bits if this translated to my kids. (I am vaxxed myself btw)

CarrieBlue · 13/08/2021 18:06

It would be good to have the choice for my children rather than the opportunity being denied to them by others who don’t reckon their children need it (when they would always have the option not to vaccinate their children). I hope the vaccine will be available soon to everyone who would like to have it.

BillieSpain · 13/08/2021 18:07

@Givemeallthegin8

I’m in Ireland and from today 12-15 year olds can get their vaccine My own dc are too young but personally I would not get mine vaccinated. Am pro vaccine- double jabbed myself , have paid for chicken pox vaccine for dc- but all the issues coming out about menstrual cycles messed up ( myself included ) I would be concerned about fertility issues in the future .
Totally agree. My 13 DD will not be having it.

There are no proper trials that have been done on this.

Oh and my menstrual cycle has never been altered due to any virus. A 13 year old who has just started their periods? Not a chance in hell I am exposing her to a trial vaccine. She's had covid. She is totally healthy and fit.

HSHorror · 13/08/2021 18:24

Having had fertility treatment anyway i dont see all the drama with it affecting periods. I have pcos anyway as do 1/10 women. It's not caused by viruses or vaccines.
The main fertility issues are age, obesity, pcos, unknown, male factor.
We do know that mumps can cause infertility in men. So there's no reason to believe the virus is benign for either sexes ferility. Adults may not have fertility affect but it could affect dc as how would we know....