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Original poster

Will you be vaxxing your 5 year old kids?

218 replies

WoolyMammoth55 · 08/12/2021 11:57

I'm pro vaccine, have had 3 myself, DH has had 2 and has booked his booster. Our kids are vaccinated according to the normal schedule.

However we have a 4yo and something about the thought of vaccinating him for Covid once he turns 5 feels really wrong to me.

I haven't really got much to go on, although this article about teens and vaccine side-effects is part of it:
www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/10/boys-more-at-risk-from-pfizer-jab-side-effect-than-covid-suggests-study

Basically I just feel like we know some people react badly to the jab, it's not a perfect medicine because it was developed and rolled out under huge pressure. We know kids are at minimal risk of Covid and so it's not for their benefit they'd get jabbed, it'd be to stop them infecting grandparents... To me it feels like the wrong risk-to-benefit ratio for our children.

And I'm fully aware that if we don't get them jabbed, we'll be vax-passport-ed into a second-class existence! This is already happening to my DSis who lives abroad in a vaccine passport country and despite her and her DH being jabbed, they are under house arrest because their 2 kids - who can't be jabbed yet - aren't allowed to go anywhere!

Talk me out of this feeling of dread, anyone...?

OP posts:
Marimaur · 08/12/2021 13:15

Yes. I vaccinated them against everything else, why not Covid?

PoppityInThe · 08/12/2021 13:16

At this point the covid vaccine is a medical trial really, there hasn't been enough time for long term studies. Given covid is mild, especially for children, I just couldn't put them in a medical trial for a mild illness. It isn't like it's the plague. We had covid and honestly we've had many worse bugs. Just isn't worth it, at all.

FreeBritnee · 08/12/2021 13:16

I’m pro vaccination and I will be vaccinating both my kids.

FreeBritnee · 08/12/2021 13:17

I also paid for the chicken pox vaccine as my eldest never caught it and whilst it’s also a mild illness I’d rather he didn’t catch it.

PoppityInThe · 08/12/2021 13:19

@FreeBritnee

I also paid for the chicken pox vaccine as my eldest never caught it and whilst it’s also a mild illness I’d rather he didn’t catch it.
I actually very nearly added the same ones who get it,I'm pretty sure would have also paid for chicken pox vaccine! Grin
CoffeeWithCheese · 08/12/2021 13:20

No. They've had all other jabs - but I'm still suffering side effects from the Covid jabs 6 months on and I'm not going to risk them being the same.

littlebilliie · 08/12/2021 13:21

As a child who wasn't vaccinated for anything I would rather vaccinate than take a risk. The speed of the vaccine is irrelevant as it was rolled out with lots of money and momentum behind it. The technology that has improved with vaccine development this last 2 years is phenomenal, they are gearing up for the next viral event.

I would be mindful that whatever attitude you take your children will follow it.

SouthOfFrance · 08/12/2021 13:21

I'm undecided yet but am trying to keep an open mind & will decide when the time comes based on the information available then.

While children are incredibly low risk from covid itself, they are being harmed by the disruption to their lives and education that covid and the restrictions are causing. If giving them the jab means less spread in the community and therefore less time off school, less disruption to their social development then yes I will get them jabbed as their life chances will be improved by living in a county with a more consistent education and less self isolation periods etc.

I can understand individually the concerns about vaccinating a child who is unlikely to get really ill from covid though, and will also weigh that up against everything else when the time comes.

littlebilliie · 08/12/2021 13:22

@PoppityInThe

At this point the covid vaccine is a medical trial really, there hasn't been enough time for long term studies. Given covid is mild, especially for children, I just couldn't put them in a medical trial for a mild illness. It isn't like it's the plague. We had covid and honestly we've had many worse bugs. Just isn't worth it, at all.
A medical trial! I would tell that to the families that lost one's
FreeBritnee · 08/12/2021 13:24

Just imagine if you choose not to vaccinate, when official guidance is that you should, and something happens to your child. Perhaps they get a worse reaction due to the new strain or end up with long covid. I’m not sure how you’d live with yourself knowing you made the decision not to have them vaccinated.

hygtt · 08/12/2021 13:26

@FreeBritnee but surely that logic would apply if you chose to get them vaccinated and they had ill effects?

Cornettoninja · 08/12/2021 13:30

@PoppityInThe

At this point the covid vaccine is a medical trial really, there hasn't been enough time for long term studies. Given covid is mild, especially for children, I just couldn't put them in a medical trial for a mild illness. It isn't like it's the plague. We had covid and honestly we've had many worse bugs. Just isn't worth it, at all.
Realistically, catching covid is as much of an experiment and data gathering exercise. On balance exposure to the spike protein is probably less of a risk than exposure to the complete virus.

As I said previously, as far as I’m aware there is no data released from long term observations of children who’ve recovered from a natural infection let alone routine monitoring of any child’s health after an infection. How would you know a natural infection hadn’t left your child with organ damage until symptoms emerged, which could be years from now when the organ just can’t manage any more? At least the vaccines have been, and continue to be, heavily monitored and scrutinised.

hygtt · 08/12/2021 13:30

If the JVCI said children are at far greater risk from X new strain then potential side effects from a vaccine than I would definitely reconsider.

Survivingmy3yearold · 08/12/2021 13:33

Yes, DD6 will be vaccinated as soon as it's available for her age group. She's had all the other vaccines and I would rather take out chances with a vaccine than with Covid

RedToothBrush · 08/12/2021 13:35

There is a risk in having a vaccine. There is a risk in not having it.

More hospitalisations in younger children should be a game changer. Thats currently looking like a possible issue in SA.

It changes the risk profile.

From that point of view thats why Im monitoring things atm.

Seeing as he and a bunch of his class went down with covid this week, its changed the dynamics a little for me too though.

Jabbawasarollingstone · 08/12/2021 13:44

Scheduled childhood vaccinations are all up to date.

But if DD was this age I'd say no, like we said no to the 12-15 year olds.

Lacedwithgrace · 08/12/2021 13:45

My girl is 6 and I will be vaccinating her. I understand why others don't want to and fully respect it but she is luckily very healthy and I have no reason to think any side effects will harm her.

HairyToity · 08/12/2021 13:46

I won't be. My kids had covid, they were barely affected.

hygtt · 08/12/2021 13:50

but she is luckily very healthy and I have no reason to think any side effects will harm her.

I may be wrong but I'm not sure there is a link between health & side effects?

Paddingtonthebear · 08/12/2021 13:55

No I don’t think so, also mine is v squeamish and not sure anyone would get near them with a needle 😆

FlowerTink · 08/12/2021 13:57

My DD is 6 and I'll be vaccinating her, she's CV. I know a few primary age children with long covid

hamstersarse · 08/12/2021 13:58

Given the data emerging on transmission of Omicron and vaccination, e.g. here it is really unlikely that vaccination passports of any description will hold water for much longer, and that is the only reason I can think of to vaccinate a healthy 5 year old

I have never met anyone actually concerned about a child getting Covid. It is always a conversation about how long they have to isolate etc. never worry about hospitalisation etc.

I can't see how a risk of virtually 0 to children from Covid can give rise to a justification of the vaccines being 'more safe'

More safe than 0 is pretty hard to achieve.

Lalalablahblahblah · 08/12/2021 14:00

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

stingofthebutterfly · 08/12/2021 14:02

I have a 4 year old too and I'm honestly not sure. I'm fully vaccinated and have my booster booked. My 13 year old is vaccinated, and I would vaccinate my 11 year old when she's eligible, but there's something off-putting about vaccinating younger children.

hamstersarse · 08/12/2021 14:02

@Lalalablahblahblah

^^Just imagine if you choose not to vaccinate, when official guidance is that you should, and something happens to your child. Perhaps they get a worse reaction due to the new strain or end up with long covid. I’m not sure how you’d live with yourself knowing you made the decision not to have them vaccinated.

This. If you go against advice and something bad happens because of that surely you'd feel that was on you?

This presumes you are fully informed of all the risks of having the jab vs getting this new virulent strain that you talk about

There has been nothing close to informed consent with these jabs. And I am glad that parents can see that when they are thinking about jabbing their children.

We do have full visibility of the harm that can be done by Covid to children and that data is rounded down to 0.

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