Educate me- my child has just had Covid so tell me science based reasons to continue to get vaccine

[Sausagesandhoney]

Don’t shoot me down, I am double vaxxed, and have had every intention of getting my 12 yr old vaccinated , but please could someone clarify the reasons for doing this (science based) when he’s already had Covid? So much information out there to digest!

I wouldn't vaccinate , his immune system has already dealt with it and we still don't know for sure about long term vaccine effects.

Covid passports. That's the reason.
There isn't a science reason.

My elderly dad is terrified of covid. He's also convinced he had it in January 2020 & gave it to a friend. He just had his booster & insists that everyone he meets should must be vaccinated; vaccines should be mandatory for everyone (legally required) & the vaccine hesitant are bad people.

Except he "had" Covid in January 2020 and it was just a bad cold (he gets those often).

I can’t claim to be an expert but the advantage of immunity from a vaccine over natural infection is that you’re training your immune system to respond to the spike protein (which is the first point of contact) with a vaccine whereas with a natural infection there’s no way to tell which part of the virus your immune system has reacted to. If your body has created antibodies to another part of the virus your immune system won’t necessarily be quick off the mark with a reinfection. That’s true of anyone if any age.

Personally I would vaccinate a child old enough. They’re only getting one shot so I would view it as a booster and consider them to have the maximum protection they could have. Covid vaccines don’t 100% stop transmission but I would guess that a child with a previous infection and a vaccine will likely fall into the group that don’t transmit at all. That’s a gamble though because I can’t really back that up. My thinking is that as children get covid so mildly it makes sense a vaccine could greatly bolster any immune response they have.

I'm not convinced there is any point at all, other than to make other people feel better. It won't even help with travel surely, as they will only have had one dose and most countries will expect two? We will be holding off for now.

It won’t help with travel. You need 2 vaccines to be classed as fully vaccinated abroad

@Kjcf

It won’t help with travel. You need 2 vaccines to be classed as fully vaccinated abroad

That’s not the case. Many countries accept “evidence of recovery from Covid-19” (ie a positive covid test result which predates your travel by a period of time) as a condition of entry.

Sorry was applying that to OP’s case rather than teens generally. Yes, one dose not much use but a positive covid test and recovery is acceptable for travel. So in a weird way better off getting it!

For Italy’s green pass I heard 1 dose counts for entry into restaurants, museums etc…

Thanks everyone for you input, v interesting

I would say the vaccine will strengthen his immunity because it's not known how long protection lasts after actually being infected.

9-12 months for the majority so far. And counting!

It is literally in @Bizawit s link above!

"However, vaccines can add an extra boost to protection in people who recovered from COVID-19. Results showed that a single vaccine dose with natural immunity provided greater protection against reinfection than people with natural immunity alone."

Echoing others - vaccine is of marginal benefit in health terms only for 12-15 years. no scientific reason to be vaccinated if already had covid

I’d say it depends on how badly he reacts to covid ie if he has a bad dose of it you might want to vaccinate just for peace of mind in case he gets it again. But otherwise I’d say probably leave it, unless he needs to travel, as others have said.

@Jablies

I don’t think he can be vaccinated within 90 days of having it anyway

No, it's 28 days. You don't test after having it for 90 days.

It's important to be vaccinated as at the moment no one knows how long antibodies last from having the virus.

In your boat I would leave it for now and reassess in a few months. I am interested in the uptake in schools now (ours hasn't started yet).
I have 2 in this age group and we are not vaccinating right now (maybe in the future, definitely, if they are willing, when they are 16).

Ds has just had covid and will have his second jab asap.

I was wondering this too. My ds has just got over covid this week.
I've had the email from school with the form to sign twice now I just don't know what todo. Spoken to ds he said he's not bothered it's up to me but something is telling me no not to let him have it. I don't know what it is maybe bits of what I've heard scientists say it's better they don't have it an such so basically it's up to boris an his fools. Am double jabbed but I feel like that was best for me given it is adults who are suffering more. I might just wait he's not gonna get covid again atleast for a few months and he can always get it at a later date but I really don't know.

@Sweettea1
Go with your gut feeling. Totally incessant vaccinating your son anytime soon. And you clearly realise that.
Better the devil you know no? (As he has had covid)

As for everyone else - I mean really, people still talking about “we don’t know how long antibodies last” - you can clearly say the same for the vaccines. And I think even if someone does end up catching Covid twice they are the same as vaccinated people - unlikely to end up very sick in hospital with it!

Thanks everyone for your input, it's a great help

I'm in a similar position. I have not long had covid (after 2x jabs) and now due a booster as I'm over 50 but I feel that having the booster now is a waste. I'd rather wait 6 months or so to have immunity for longer but it's difficult to find any advice on this.

Yes I agree, very little advice on this subject. Surely if the vaccine wears off over time, as do the antibodies from having the virus, then could we not be giving those vaccines to people more in need?

Dr John Campbell is very informative- an interesting talk here on the issues above