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Original poster

Tell me why my son of 14 should have the covid jab?

209 replies

Notagoodtime · 21/09/2021 20:47

This is not a antivax question. My husband and I are double jabbed. I am currently in bed with COVID. My reason for wanting my kids to have the jab was to protect others. As I seem to know lots of people at the moment who are double jabbed and have or have had covid this reasoning isn’t really valid. If we are being are being told that kids get the virus mildly what are the reasons? If my son could still get covid it doesn’t really make feel more confident about him spreading it to the vulnerable. I’m trying to get my head around the advantages before I make a decision. I’m glad I have had the vaccine as I still feel rubbish so dread to think how I would be without but surely this isn’t the same for kids?

OP posts:
Geamhradh · 22/09/2021 07:00

@HannibalHayeski

If he does catch it, he's far less likely to end up in hospital.

He's far less likely to suffer long term with long Covid.

He's far less likely to die.

Isn't that enough?

This.

What does he think about the vaccination?

Divebar2021 · 22/09/2021 07:08

A 14 year old is in a position to decide for himself surely ? If he didn’t want it and you did you couldn’t force it on him so I think it’s unfair to prevent him if it’s something he wants to do.

trumpisagit · 22/09/2021 07:17

My 14 year old says he is not having it.
I agree (for now).
He says he's not worried about covid, and doesn't want to risk the side effects.
I support his decision but I the longer term (when he's 16 maybe), would prefer he got vaccinated.

FuchMyLife · 22/09/2021 07:18

I'd hold out giving kids the mRNA vaccines as there are some reports of myocarditis in adolescents (yes the study hasn't been peer reviewed yet but the data they used was from VAERS and where there's smoke there's usually fire)

Natural immunity is the best way to go with this type of virus, just make sure your kids aren't vitamin d or zinc deficient that might help but either way it's a gamble.

whenwillthemadnessend · 22/09/2021 07:24

@hihelp

You can still get it if vaccinated and still get ill. However likely to get a milder version

I know this as my mum had it after two jabs she was unwell but it could have been much worse.

FreeBritnee · 22/09/2021 07:26

Why do we give our children any vaccinations? surely it’s to ensure any illness they might contract doesn’t leave them seriously unwell or dead.

whenwillthemadnessend · 22/09/2021 07:27

@sleepwouldbenice

Well said exactly right

Hellocatshome · 22/09/2021 07:30

A 14 year old is in a position to decide for himself surely ?

There are adults up and down the country wrestling with the limited information we have to try and make the tight decision. I'm not sure how you expect a 14 year old to make a decision that many adults find impossible.

Abraxan · 22/09/2021 07:35

All the people I currently know with covid right now are secondary school aged children, and some primary school ones. They are having a range of illness from just a sore throat and caught up to having symptoms more like a very heavy cold/flu bug. Some are poorly enough to be in bed. Three recently have asthma and they were fairly poorly, two needing to be seen at hospital due to their breathing.

I know of 3 double vax to have had covid recently too - all 3 were fine and could work from home. The one who is CEV was laid up in the sofa for a couple of days but could walk around okay, and no where near as poorly as they have been previously with unpleasant viruses.

14y are likely to be offered the flu vaccine this year too. Will you be advising him to have that or not?

And tbh, with the covid vax and the flu vax - both ought to be his decision at 14, if an NT child.

Covidworries · 22/09/2021 07:35

@Hellocatshome

The risk of him getting mycarditis is higher from covid than it is from the jab through

theDudesmummy · 22/09/2021 07:36

My 12 yo DS has now had 2 Pfizer jabs. He is protecting himself, us, his teachers, the rest of society. He is helping to keep school open for himself and his schoolmates. Like we all are when we get our vaccine. ( He was able to go abroad this summer with PCR there and back, so it's not about travel).

knittingaddict · 22/09/2021 07:37

@gamerchick

He's 14, what does he want?
That's what I was going to ask. At 14 they definitely have a say.
outnumbered77 · 22/09/2021 07:44

My 12 year old has covid now. Unsure whether he should have vaccine or not as he's obviously developing his own antibodies.

PhilCornwall1 · 22/09/2021 07:44

A 14 year old is in a position to decide for himself surely ?

They should be. I bet a fair few will be put under unnecessary pressure to have it, almost like a guilt trip to "do the right thing".

bumbleymummy · 22/09/2021 07:45

@HannibalHayeski

If he does catch it, he's far less likely to end up in hospital.

He's far less likely to suffer long term with long Covid.

He's far less likely to die.

Isn't that enough?

At his age, he’s extremely unlikely to end up in hospital or die anyway.

We do not currently have a firm definition of ‘long COVID’. At the moment it ranges from a cough/tiredness that lasts beyond 4 weeks up to proper debilitating illness for 12+ weeks. In any case, the incidence of long covid in children, which includes the mild version, is very low.

starfish4 · 22/09/2021 07:46

If he has it, it's going to reduce the chances of him getting it and being seriously ill (none of us know until we get it how ill we're going to be). It was his age that my DD's social life really took off, so he could have increased mixing from now onwards and more likely to pick it up.
Another factor is that he's coming up to his GSCEs - even if he's not one for studying, the year before them most really want to be on top form to study, get the best results to carry them into A levels, college or an apprenticeship. My DD is at uni abroad and their attitude is that you've had chance to be jabbed, we'll wear masks/SD/clean, but other than that we're business as usual with no online support - as more people get jabbed there's every chance it'll go like that here for education, work.

What does your DS want? Don't forget at the moment they're only getting one dose, and it's the second that's considered a slightly increased risk.

Angrymum22 · 22/09/2021 07:59

Both DH and I have had Covid recently despite being double jabbed. We both had it in Feb 2020. Recovery has been so much quicker this time, couple of weeks and back to normal. It took weeks to get over first infection. DS17 had it in August and he is still suffering with fatigue. He was double vaccinated but caught Covid the week after second vaccination.

SarahBellam · 22/09/2021 08:00

Because he's less likely to get it and less likely to pass it on to someone who may get it badly - surely you don't need people to tell you this? Let him get it or don't, but stop trying to rabble rouse here.

Divebar2021 · 22/09/2021 08:08

Sorry to insert a question but if other countries have vaccination as a condition of entry will that include children? ( I imagine it might vary from country to country). May be worth vaccinating purely for the freedom to travel abroad if that’s something your family does.

Frazzled2207 · 22/09/2021 08:09

@TheChip

There isn't any. Other than him being allowed to remain in school if he ever did test positive instead of isolating. That for me, isn't enough of a reason to agree to my children having this shot.
Eh? If he tests positive he is away from school regardless.
Frazzled2207 · 22/09/2021 08:10

@Divebar2021

Sorry to insert a question but if other countries have vaccination as a condition of entry will that include children? ( I imagine it might vary from country to country). May be worth vaccinating purely for the freedom to travel abroad if that’s something your family does.
Depends on the country. I believe Malta already insist on 12+ being double jabbed. No other entry possible.
TheWatersofMarch · 22/09/2021 08:18

Risk of Myocarditis one in 100,000. Of those that have this side effect some will have no long term heart damage but some may have scarring. That's the bit that's unknown. Risk of immediate Covid harm may be low for my 15 and 13 yo but risk of long Covid and further disruption higher. But the main reason to have it is because my kids are members of society - a very close friend is immunosuppressed and remains at risk despite vaccination - my kids have been brought up to understand we all have a role to play in the common good and this, rather than pure individualism, influences their decisions. My kids have made their own Gillick competent decisions to have the vaccination.

EducatingArti · 22/09/2021 08:21

We also do routinely vaccinate children to protect others. Think Rubella ( the R in MMR). It is generally a very mild disease but can cause serious birth defects if a woman catches it while pregnant.
There is no real need for boys to have this vaccination but we give it to them routinely. In order to protect the a child that will probably not even have been conceived at the time of the vaccine. Women of course will already be "protected" by their own vaccination, but we still vaccinate boys to help because of the small number of women who can't/won't have the vaccine.

bumbleymummy · 22/09/2021 08:24

The vaccine isn’t being given to children to protect others. It’s already been established that the benefit of the vaccine is mainly to the individual - reducing their risk of severe illness/hospitalisation - something which children are at extremely low risk of anyway. Let’s not forget that the majority of our children are already immune.

EducatingArti · 22/09/2021 08:24

@Hihelp

I thought you can still spread it, even if vaccinated. The virus will still enter your system but not affect you, but can affect others. Can a proper scientist confirm this please?
If you are vaccinated you are less likely to get Covid in the first place. If you haven't got Covid you can't spread it. So spread is reduced.