Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Do they think our kids are stupid?

87 replies

Dotheythinkourkidsarestupid · 20/09/2021 08:35

Just that, they have been told for months to stay safe, give up everything to not catch covid etc now we are sending them into school when their friends have covid and they have been in close contact and they are supposed to just OK that's fine. How stupid do the government think they are?

I have chronic health issues but not considered CEV so no child vaccine and she doesn't want to go in catch it and bring it home but I have just had to send her in anyway. Shes saying it's stupid and she's right but it's going to get worse in the next week or so and I'm saving keeping her off until I absolutely have to.

Why oh why didn't they vaccinate over the summer?

It's inevitable now that she will catch it and give it to me, if it does set me back she will blame herself

The whole thing is shit

And before people start saying it's the new normal, what more do you want etc I want close contacts to PCR and stay home until results come through and children have been vaccinated.
There is no hope of tracking it now

OP posts:
flippertyop · 20/09/2021 20:24

@Tealightsandd

children (and adults) to have compassion, empathy, and concern for the financially and/or clinically vulnerable.

But not when it's at the expense of the children themselves. I'm not risking my child's health for anyone - sorry about that

Namenic · 20/09/2021 20:26

I think the govt could have foreseen this and given the choice of vaccination to teenagers over summer (even if we didn’t have all the data) - especially for those who bubble with people with health conditions (they maybe not officially CEV). They gave a choice to pregnant women even when it was not totally clear.

The govt could have foreseen exam chaos and planned a standardised, streamlined curriculum which can be supported by national online provision in case of isolation requirements and also for CEV kids.

Much sympathy with you OP. I hope you can get a booster and get the advice you need to help you and your family manage.

PurpleOkapi · 20/09/2021 20:27

@Tealightsandd

The US doesn't have any kind of uniform strategy

True. Some states are following the science more than others. Those with high numbers of cases, hospitalisations, and deaths are the ones without mask mandates and low vaccine take up. Elsewhere schools are back - but with masks.

In the US Children over 12 have been eligible for vaccination for several months.

They're now aiming to vaccinate under 12s by Halloween.

It's also relevant to take into account vaccine type. Astrazeneca is still very good but it's not as effective as the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna).

It's true that the states with lower vaccination rates and fewer mitigation measures are the ones with more cases, but it's not about following or not following the science. It's a choice each area has made about whether they'd rather give up certain things or have more cases.

The science here is ultimately just a set of numbers: If no one is vaccinated you'll have X number of cases and Y number of deaths. The more mitigation measures you add, the lower those numbers are. Add in vaccination, and they're even lower. Those facts should play an important role in informed decision-making, but there's nothing to "follow," because they aren't a position in and of themselves. "Following the science" doesn't necessarily mean taking the position that reducing case numbers is the most important consideration. It just means making an informed decision when weighing alternatives.

Tealightsandd · 20/09/2021 20:33

But not when it's at the expense of the children themselves. I'm not risking my child's health for anyone - sorry about that

Good to know. I expect you'll feel hugely relieved once she's had the protection of a vaccine. SARS-Cov-2 is much lower risk for children but obviously as it's a new disease, we can't possibly yet know what potential long term issues might be caused by infection.

Thank goodness for vaccines. And for the harmless mitigation measures of masks, good ventilation etc.

Yogsgirl · 20/09/2021 20:41

And how long do people intend to keep kids at home? Where is the end?

Yogsgirl · 20/09/2021 20:43

What I don't understand is that pre-covid we had people with health conditions who didn't even bother to get the flu vaccine and just took their chances. Now, we have people who are not even CEV bit just have things like arthritis, migraines, etc. who want everyone to protect them by wearing masks and keeping kids off school.

MushMonster · 20/09/2021 20:44

Yes, they missed the opportunity to vaccinate them during the summer holidays.
But this is what they do. They just leave everything till past the last minute. I think they like the drama. We need a music theme to go with it.

Tealightsandd · 20/09/2021 20:49

@Yogsgirl

And how long do people intend to keep kids at home? Where is the end?
Why not, instead of increasing the risks of children and school staff being kept at home by illness (if infected), follow the science and implement simple and easy mitigation measures.

As for how long? Well a good start would be when the majority of the population (which of course includes children) are vaccinated. Boosters for the vulnerable included. We also have promising treatments being trialled - which would change the level of future risk.

In the meantime, there really isn't any reason to be the outliers. If other countries are capable of following the science on mitigation measures like masks, so can we.

MarshaBradyo · 20/09/2021 20:53

The JCVI took time as presumably they were ‘following the science’ to use a phrase that is totally over done.

And didn’t recommend it in the end anyway

Tealightsandd · 20/09/2021 20:56

@MarshaBradyo

The JCVI took time as presumably they were ‘following the science’ to use a phrase that is totally over done.

And didn’t recommend it in the end anyway

I wonder why the UK science is different to the rest of the world's?

Something in the water maybe?

Yogsgirl · 20/09/2021 20:56

But the majority of people are vaccinated!! Children under 16 are the only ones who aren't, and they are unlikely to suffer serious illness so I don't see the point- this could actually go on for years as every year there will be new mutations and vaccines needed. I for one have currently got covid caught in school- the vaccines aren't stopping the spread but they are making it less severe- if i didn't have to isolate for a full ten days I would have gone back to work today!

Tealightsandd · 20/09/2021 20:57

Also key to note. The JCVI didn't recommend against either.

MarshaBradyo · 20/09/2021 20:59

I wonder why the UK science is different to the rest of the world's

Read up and think about why? As you seem interested

MushMonster · 20/09/2021 21:07

@MarshaBradyo

I wonder why the UK science is different to the rest of the world's

Read up and think about why? As you seem interested

Maybe UK goverment should actually read about it, and act about it. Instead of sitting on it and changing their mind three months later. Copy, paste and repeat each step of the way.
PurpleOkapi · 20/09/2021 21:13

Everything anyone's said about not knowing the long-term effects of covid is at least equally true of mRNA vaccines. It's probably more true of the vaccines, because other coronaviruses have been around forever, but there's exactly zero long-term data on any mRNA vaccines in humans. Establishing that one or two doses (probably) won't kill you in the near term is very different from establishing that an additional booster dose every 6-8 months for the rest of your life won't have any harmful effects decades later.

Tealightsandd · 20/09/2021 21:19

Extensive research, trialling, and testing has been done on the mRNA vaccines.

Allecto · 20/09/2021 21:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Yogsgirl · 20/09/2021 21:26

Yes, I understand about arthritis and the risks, but my point was that someone who is vulnerable was before and will continue to be- and teachers have been vaccinated which is what we wanted but now that's not enough- people still want children not in school or vaccinated now!

MarshaBradyo · 20/09/2021 21:28

Maybe UK goverment should actually read about it, and act about it.

You would prefer the government to decide not JCVI informing first?

Why would you want government to read up instead. Totally nuts.

Allecto · 20/09/2021 21:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

flippertyop · 20/09/2021 21:44

It would seem sensible to have children in school with simple control measures to protect vulnerable members of our community be they children, family members or school staff.

Sorry but I disagree with this. It's completely immoral to be giving children vaccines that are untested and a potential risk to protect others. But each parent will make their own decisions. Most I know are not giving their children the vaccine but I am sure many will. My child has had every other vaccination - but I could see how they would benefit from those. This one is of negligible benefit - not worth the risk to them.

PurpleOkapi · 20/09/2021 21:44

@Tealightsandd

Extensive research, trialling, and testing has been done on the mRNA vaccines.
For 1-2 doses over 1-2 years. That's it. That's literally all there is by way of human data. That's also all there is by way of data on covid. No one has any idea which is safer long-term, because no long-term data exists for either. There's exactly zero basis to believe that an endless succession of annual booster doses of this or any other mRNA vaccine is safe.
Yogsgirl · 20/09/2021 21:51

And what are these simple control measures? I've worked in school all through the pandemic- the control measures were pretty pointless- making little kids sit in rows, (which they couldn't possibly cope with) not allowed to play out with other classes, no assemblies etc. then at the end of the school day the kids all go home to play with each other and have fun in the park.

Allecto · 20/09/2021 22:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HungryHippo11 · 20/09/2021 23:01

Why oh why didn't they vaccinate over the summer?
Because they were busy vaccinating people who were older and therefore at more risk.

Swipe left for the next trending thread