Advice/info on vaccines for 11-12 year old DS

[2boysand1princess]

I can’t seem to find any information of the side effects possible for children that receive the covid vaccine. I can’t find any data in things like, what percentage of children have gone on to have side effects etc.
I think I read somewhere that the Pfizer vaccine poses a very tiny risk of heart issues for young people, but does data show whether that includes the pre teens? Also is it permanent heart issue or something that is temporary and heals over time? Anyone know if am I right in understanding that it’s more common in boys than girls? I’m pretty sure there was a thread about that here, but can’t find it.
My DS11 has been offered the vaccine at school next week. He has no underlying issues etc and I’m struggling making a decision. DH and I have had both our doses (Pfizer) and have a huge sense of relief. I just wonder if it’s as simple as that for children though.

Sorry for any grammatical errors/typos. Typing in a rush!

There are some figures in tables 1-4 of the JCVI advice here.

You’ll see JCVI said that on purely health grounds, they don’t recommend vaccination for healthy 12-15s, but the UK Chief Medical Officers then did advise vaccination, to avoid disruption to education, especially in deprived areas. See here

Is your DS going to be 12 by the date of the vaccination? If not, he shouldn’t be having the jab at all. It’s only licensed for over 12s.

@Wigeon

Is your DS going to be 12 by the date of the vaccination? If not, he shouldn’t be having the jab at all. It’s only licensed for over 12s.

No he’s going to have vaccine next week, but turns 12 in February. Ok thanks for that, I didn’t realise!

@Wigeon

There are some figures in tables 1-4 of the JCVI advice here.

You’ll see JCVI said that on purely health grounds, they don’t recommend vaccination for healthy 12-15s, but the UK Chief Medical Officers then did advise vaccination, to avoid disruption to education, especially in deprived areas. See here

Very useful. Thanks for that. So, it’s not actually recommended for health reason in healthy children, but more to minimise disruption. Well the uptake in his school has been really low anyway, so I guess that’s not really going to work for us. He’s a healthy 11 year old and actually wants the vaccine to protect is and his grandparents, however we are all vaccinated and so are most vulnerable people he will ever come into contact with. I would get him it, if it meant it protected him from severe disease, however stats suggest his age group are very low risk anyway. I read that story on bbc of the healthy 15 year old girl who died from covid and my heart breaks. It’s got my anxiety really high and now I’m confused. Children are so precious and So many parents are so afraid of making the wrong decision for them.

In that case, he won’t be getting the vaccine next week. You should have had info from the vaccination team to explain who in Year 7 is eligible, ie only those aged 12 and above on the day of vaccination?

@Wigeon

In that case, he won’t be getting the vaccine next week. You should have had info from the vaccination team to explain who in Year 7 is eligible, ie only those aged 12 and above on the day of vaccination?

He’s got a letter asking for parental consent

Parental consent to have the vaccine next week

It’s extremely difficult to find information about covid vaccine side effects and the truth is, nobody knows very much about the short or long term effects of the vaccine on teens because mass vaccination of this age group has only taken place in a few countries of the world and for a maximum of 5 months.
However, some reports estimate a 1 in 6000 chance of heart inflammation following vaccination and this side effect seems to affect boys more than girls.

It is up to each individual parent to decide whether the risk outweighs the benefit since government bodies and scientists disagree and so far, imho, there is a huge lack of transparent post vaccine data.

I don't think there is deliberate hiding of data, I think there has been very public discussion and deliberation about vaccines.

If your son is not 12 till February, and you are currently uncertain about whether he wants to have the vaccine, it is likely that there will be quite a lot of material produced between now and then about side effects and outcomes as millions of young people have already been vaccinated.

@Lostinacloud - there is weekly, published, reporting of the side effects and their rates. See here

[quote Lostfraggle]@Lostinacloud - there is weekly, published, reporting of the side effects and their rates. See here[/quote]
Yes and the paper you've quoted with the hugely inflated rates of vaccine induced myocarditis has been retracted for (deliberate?) use of dodgy methods.

That figure was quoted on the bbc.

Doesn’t matter to me anyway. I’ve had covid pre vaccine and it was no more than a head cold for a few days. As per my age and risk factors I was easily able to beat it with my own immune system. My DC also had covid and to an even lesser extent, my DS7 complaining of an upset stomach and slight stomach ache for about 3 hours and that was it. My teen DS felt unwell for half a day and overnight and then was as right as rain.

This means that when I way up risk to benefit, the risks of side effects from vaccination are higher (no matter how rare they are) and that is why I won’t vaccinate my DC against a cold virus that they have already had and survived.

I just hope we won’t all be forced further down the line when teens are not allowed to travel without quarantine or eat in a restaurant like is already happening in other countries.

He can't have pfizer (or any other vaccine) if he's only 11. There are trials for children age 5-11 but it's not licensed for that age group yet. I think it's a lower dose they are using in the trials.

Is there a mix of ages in that year? I imagine only those that are 12 will get the vaccine when it is given next week

Are you sure the consent form was for covid not flu? They are doing both at the same time in many schools. My DD is 11 and I had to do a consent form for flu but not for covid as she's not allowed that (I'd definitely say yes if offered, I wish I was able to get her the vaccine!).

Even if there's a mix up, I'm betting those vaccinating will double check and there's no way they'd vaccinate an 11 year old when it's not licensed. The only way I'd think he could get it is if there's an error in the NHS systems and they've got his birth date wrong.