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Original poster

If your child between 12 & 15 has recently had COVID……

26 replies

CalmDownBoris72 · 15/09/2021 18:10

…what are your feelings on the vaccine?

My situation is that my son, 13, had COVID in august and is now fully recovered. I’m really unsure about what to advise him on the vaccine. As a toddler/ young child he had some mild heart issues that required about 4 years of annual review with cardiologists but he was signed off at approximately age 7. This makes me feel a bit less keen for him to have it than my son who is in year 7.

I’m not sure the tiny vaccine risk is worth it given that he’s had COVID and is now fine.

Does anyone have any reliable research links that covers this topic, I don’t know where to begin!

I’d also love to hear what others are thinking in a similar position having a child with recent natural immunity.

OP posts:
Lushmetender · 15/09/2021 18:27

I plan to allow mine make his own informed choice as he is a competent 13 year old and he’s just in the throes of COVID and is experiencing how nasty it is. He seems to be recovering but the real test will be when he has to go back to school and clubs. He said to me however that he would have got the vaccine if he’s been offered it prior to getting Covid.

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 15/09/2021 18:27

My DD (15) currently has covid and is more ill than I expected her to be. She can't have the vaccine within 28 days anyway so I suspect she'll miss the school rollout. But I'd like her to have the vaccine later. My logic is that 1 vaccine + natural immunity is a good combination but it's an individual choice, your child has had cardio issues whilst mine has not.

Lostinacloud · 15/09/2021 18:38

My DS12 had covid at the end of last year. A day and a half of headache and slight temp and all over with. Satisfied he has natural immunity, more robust and multi armed than a vaccine, and not getting him vaccinated due to the risk of side effects no matter how rare they claim them to be.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 15/09/2021 18:43

She is having it. We both think its important to be in school as it's a GCSE year

Mojoj · 15/09/2021 18:49

Both my boys had it after me. I was quite ill, they were mildly ill. Despite all the reassurances that the vaccine is safe, I am very glad that neither one of my kids wants it.

Tangledtresses · 15/09/2021 18:49

Mine is 16 ... but doesn't want the vaccine but he's had COVID
I'm double jabbed and his younger brother had not one Symptom

I'll let it go for a while

actiongirl1978 · 15/09/2021 19:08

My DD says she is leaving the decision to us. But she had covid mildly in August and so I just don't know if she needs the jab now.

I'm erring on no but only just and i'm happy if DH goes for yes. I don't disagree with them in principle for children.

buckleten · 15/09/2021 19:47

My 16 year old had covid in the summer, and would not want to go through it again, so got a vaccine as soon as possible!

buckleten · 15/09/2021 19:47

My 13 year old is keen to have it too

bumbleymummy · 15/09/2021 19:55

There is plenty of evidence that shows that natural infection provides durable immunity in the majority of people (9-12 months so far). Given the very narrow margin of benefit compared to risk irt the vaccine for this age group, already having immunity after infection is going to tip the balance away from having the vaccine.

SoOvethis · 15/09/2021 19:56

I wouldn’t in your situation….for me it’s the unknown (vaccine) vs the known (having had covid)

No need to even introduce the small risk of vaccine.

And unlikely they will be catching again any time soon - regardless of those on here that know others who have had covid every month since March 2020…

Walkaround · 15/09/2021 19:59

@bumbleymummy - There is no guarantee of level of immunity from either natural infection or vaccine. One of my teenage nieces has had covid twice - worse the second time. Now also vaccinated.

Unicornhorns · 15/09/2021 20:01

DS currently has covid, he was due to be vaccinated this week as he has SEN. Now he has the virus I’m not in a hurry to get him vaccinated, I will see if his age group get a second vaccine and possibly get him vaccinated then.

bumbleymummy · 15/09/2021 20:04

[quote Walkaround]@bumbleymummy - There is no guarantee of level of immunity from either natural infection or vaccine. One of my teenage nieces has had covid twice - worse the second time. Now also vaccinated.[/quote]
Incidence of reinfection is very rare (PHE) and reinfection cases are usually milder.

No, there are no guarantees but, for the majority of people, infection provides durable immunity.

WednesburyPrinciple · 15/09/2021 20:05

I watched a webinar with Prof Tim Spectre from the Zoe / Imperial College Covid project the other day about Children and Covid (is on YouTube). His exact words were that it would be ‘foolhardy’ to vaccine a child who had recently had COVID. They stand to gain nothing (as they have much broader natural immunity) but still get the risk. My daughter recently has Covid and isn’t having the vaccine.

bumblingbovine49 · 15/09/2021 20:14

DS is 16 but he had covid in march and the vaccine in August. He gets a flu jab each year and we were all happy for him to get the first shot

We will look at the evidence and advice together at the time they offer one and let DS decide on the second dose but I am leaning towards advising him not to get one at the moment. The heart problems that are more common in young men/ boys than girls with Pfizer seem to be mostly after the second dose. I figure one Covid infection plus a vaccine is as good as two vaccines and he was pretty mildly ill with Covid when he had it.

Yondergoat · 15/09/2021 20:27

I was keen to get DD 14 vaccinated, but, like yours, she had Covid in August. She had no symptoms at all.

She is on meds for ADHD that can damage the heart, so I'm having a similar dilemma.

I am double jabbed, had Covid in March 2020 (2 weeks ill in bed), and got it again in August (thought it was a slight cold/sinusitis). Don't know what to think now.

SoOvethis · 15/09/2021 20:30

Yes I watched the Tim Spector webinar too.

Was very interesting as you could tell the lady wanted to sort of promote the vaccine but the common sense from the paediatric consultant prevailed.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg1TKv04UpU

Original poster
CalmDownBoris72 · 16/09/2021 07:38

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts. I’m going to watch the webinar with DS this evening and try to make a decision together.

It would have been a no brainier if he’d not had COVID, my husband and I are both fully vaccinated and I managed to dodge it when the whole of my household had it so I think the vaccine worked for me. It’s just a much bigger decision with a child.

OP posts:
mrshoho · 16/09/2021 11:17

Should my 15 year old get covid before the vaccine is offered I think it would probably be better for him to delay getting vaccibated for at least another 6 months. I've got no medical or science background just instinct that he should give his immune system a chance to work following the infection and use the temporary immunity it will hopefully give. I hope the vaccine is offered before he gets it though.

bumbleymummy · 16/09/2021 12:42

He may have already had it. The majority of cases in young people are mild/asymptomatic. It’s estimated that 50-70% have immunity already.

Walkaround · 16/09/2021 16:13

@bumbleymummy - the 50-70% who have “already had it” are highly unlikely to be evenly spread around the country, given the consistently large differences in infection rates in different parts of the country in the last 2 years. There has been only limited disruption at the school my children go to over the whole time, so I suspect thinking 50-70% have already been infected is somewhat optimistic around here. The school I work in, however, was quite badly affected before Christmas, yet is getting a growing number of symptomatic, confirmed cases in the last week (and is a primary school, so even more likely to be lots of asymptomatic cases hidden behind the symptomatic ones). Overall, we are not in an area that has had particularly high rates, so there is patently still plenty of spreading about to go in young people in this part of the country.

x2boys · 17/09/2021 09:56

@CalmDownBoris72

…what are your feelings on the vaccine?

My situation is that my son, 13, had COVID in august and is now fully recovered. I’m really unsure about what to advise him on the vaccine. As a toddler/ young child he had some mild heart issues that required about 4 years of annual review with cardiologists but he was signed off at approximately age 7. This makes me feel a bit less keen for him to have it than my son who is in year 7.

I’m not sure the tiny vaccine risk is worth it given that he’s had COVID and is now fine.

Does anyone have any reliable research links that covers this topic, I don’t know where to begin!

I’d also love to hear what others are thinking in a similar position having a child with recent natural immunity.

My son had it at the start of the school holidays, very mildly, hes 14 and he wants the vaccine and tbh i would rather he had it to, however in your case given, your, sons previous cardiac issues i can understand why your hesitant, maybe speak to your Gp for advice?
Covidworries · 17/09/2021 10:12

@CalmDownBoris72

Your decision but they are advising children with heart conditions to be vaccinated because covid is more of a risk to the heart than the vaccination.

bumbleymummy · 17/09/2021 15:40

Even after they’ve already had coronavirus will no ill effects and are now most likely immune anyway?