Conflicted about vaccinating 17 year old

[Backofbeyond50]

So dd is about to enter year 13 and has been offered vaccine. Part of me thinks she should have it as she is going to University next year and no one really knows how COVID affects individuals who are perceived to be low risk. Than there is Long COVID. DH firmly believes she should have it and more importantly she wants it too.
I will of course facilitate her choice but why do I have a tiny niggling doubt? I know I have been dripped rather alot of poison from an anti vax relative and I know this will ramp up if she discovers she has had vaccine?
So difficult.

@Backofbeyond50

She will definitely be having the vaccine as it is her choice. Just wish I could shake off the tiny voice of doubt in my mind. Hopefully the collective MN voice of reason will work. I will just ignore anti vax relative who tbh I am now limiting contact with after she said my kids will be orphans as we both had the vaccine.

I've got one of those relatives too. Also limiting contact. A degree of scepticism is normal and healthy. Outright hysteria, fear mongering and an insistence on it being "Us v The Vaccinated" is stuff i don't want to be around.

You should definitely let her choose to be vaccinated.

The vaccine will protect against any new variant, most likely. This is valuable protection.

if/when second doses are approved by JCVI, she'll be eligible and then fully protected. In time for being 18 and foreign travel and nightlife needing full vaccination. Plus some universities will do this increasingly (one already is). Plus once double vaccinated she will have more rights, even at school.

@CutePanda

I have had all my childhood vaccines (and happy about it) so I am not anti-vax. However, I do not like the side effects of the Pfizer and AZ vaccines. I don’t know anyone who’s suffered greatly with Covid (my 80yo grandma was ill for a couple of days and then recovered). I am not high risk of dying with Covid. However, I don’t want the vaccine to potentially fuck up my menstrual cycle (ttc) or worsen my vestibular migraines. I do not take the contraceptive pill as I don’t want to risk having blood clots. I’ve weighed up the pros and cons and decided against having this particular vaccine.

I hate how this instantly makes me “anti vax” and a “granny killer” in the eyes of hysterical people. Unfortunately, people die whether or not they have had this vaccine.

It's your choice whether to be vaccinated or not, and certainly doesn't make you any of those things.

However it's worth bearing in the mind both the National Migraine Centre and The Migraine Trust recommend anyone with migraine (chronic, acute, vestibular) take up the offer of the vaccine. People with these diagnoses are at a much higher risk of blood clots and therefore vulnerable to the thrombotic events associated with COVID.

My neurologist said the same when I asked her advice, as I was also worried about a potential worsening of symptoms. Full blown COVID is far more likely to exacerbate symptoms than a vaccine.

• Plus once double vaccinated she will have more rights, even at school. Sorry I should clarify what I meant - obvs that is not the case at the moment. But the DfE/individual school impose harsher restrictions than currently in place, those who are fully vaccinated will legally be entitled to those freedoms enjoyed by other double vaccinated people.

Personally not knowing anyone who has suffered with covid is a bizarre logic. Do you not read or watch the news?

I am another non contraceptive taker and migraine sufferer. Much higher risk of clots from covid, or bedrest.

My DD, 20, has severe vestibular migraine and was recommended to take the vax. Took it with no problems. DS, 17, has also taken the vax with no side effects. Both wanted to minimise disruption to their studies, travel freely, not risk long covid, and yes, not give it to others in the family. Most of their friends have got the vax and none of us are worrying about long term effects.

I'm glad she is going ahead. My dd caught covid at age 15 nearly a year ago - she has ongoing chronic fatigue and is affected every day. Definitely the right thing to do to get vaccinated.

As long as she is making the decision herself then all you can do is be supportive.

If my child decides to have the vaccine I will be supportive even though myself am not vaccinated I wouldn’t stand in their way if they chose the opposite of what I felt was best.

Part of our job as parents is to worry

What do you think will happen if she has the vaccine ie what might go wrong?
That’s how I rationalised it.

So difficult

It really isn't difficult at all.

Don't even argue with an anti vaxxer, just smile and nod.

@Oblomov21

My Ds1 doesn't want reality to. I'm quite gutted. He's not one to believe anti vaxxers nonsense, but he's incredibly fitness obsessed and just says he doesn't want any foreign objects being put into his body.

It's a huge gamble. Risk of vaccine = tiny, tiny Risk of covid - hugely varied and unpredictable. I am in hospital with covid. Patient in next bed unvaxed healthfreak is much worse than me (fully vaxxed but poor health).

he doesn't want any foreign objects being put into his body
Sorry to be a debbie downer, but do those foreign objects include e.g. dexamethasone or any other drugs to treat covid? What about an intubation tube connected to a ventilator.
Surprisingly 90% of those in ICU with Covid are unvaccinated but despite not wanting a vaccine inside them are now having all manner of tubes and drugs inside them.
Not all of them are elderly or vulnerable.

@speckledostrichegg I’ve had Covid before and it didn’t worsen my migraines. I was a bit ill for a couple of days. I know people who developed migraines after having the vax (no previous history of them) so I’d rather not chance it with the vax. My friend has “long Covid” symptoms from another virus a few years ago. It’s a risk whenever there’s a virus going around

If you want the vax then go for it! I just don’t want it.

Why the speech marks?

@Piggywaspushed

Why the speech marks?

I put “long covid” in air quotes because although my friend’s symptoms are the same as long Covid, hers originate from a different virus almost 10 years ago. Post-viral chronic fatigue and other conditions can occur after any virus, not just Covid19. It’s a risk whenever there’s a virus going around.

[quote CutePanda]@speckledostrichegg I’ve had Covid before and it didn’t worsen my migraines. I was a bit ill for a couple of days. I know people who developed migraines after having the vax (no previous history of them) so I’d rather not chance it with the vax. My friend has “long Covid” symptoms from another virus a few years ago. It’s a risk whenever there’s a virus going around

If you want the vax then go for it! I just don’t want it.[/quote]
Yup, I was just pointing out the NMC and NMT both recommend migraine patients get the vaccine, as this patient group is at higher risk of blood clots. This makes them more vulnerable to the thrombotic events caused by COVID.

Not sure why you're bringing long COVID into it, but it's worth bearing in mind that long COVID doesn't equal post-viral fatigue.

Long COVID is an umbrella term which can include PFS (which yep is caused by many viruses) but also includes other complications which seem to be specific to coronavirus including long term damage to the lungs, heart and CNS. It's not something that should be brushed under the carpet just because other viruses can cause CFS.

I am aware of that panda. Any post viral conditions do attract scorn and scepticism as a rule. Speech marks are a common way of showing this. Clearly you didn't mean to suggest long covid isn't a thing, then.