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Original poster

Is there any point in DS(15) getting the second covid vaccination?

63 replies

ItsAllAboutTheLighting · 02/01/2022 08:21

I'm just mulling this over and I wondered whether there was any point to him getting his second covid vaccine.

The reason we vaccinated was to try and prevent him getting it. Try and prevent him spreading it and generally be part of the improvement.

His brothers aren't vaccinated (too young).

We have all had covid in the last few weeks, DS (vaccinated) and DS (unvaccinated) both caught covid, both had the same symptoms (headache and achey muscles, no cough or temp or loss of smell/taste), and both past it on with those symptoms before the LFT was positive.

So the vaccination didn't prevent him spreading it, didn't prevent him getting ill with it and hasn't generally helped at all.

DH and I are vaccinated fully and we will both continue to do so (I'm a nurse) but for the kids? I'm not so sure now.

Any words of wisdom?

OP posts:
Piggy42 · 02/01/2022 08:24

Presumably you don’t wish to travel abroad? I understood European countries to only count a double vaccine but I might be wrong.

GoodnightGrandma · 02/01/2022 08:27

But it might well have prevented him being so ill, which is the whole point. You don’t know how ill he might have been without the vaccine.
Why does he want to do ?

Original poster
ItsAllAboutTheLighting · 02/01/2022 08:30

@Piggy42

Presumably you don’t wish to travel abroad? I understood European countries to only count a double vaccine but I might be wrong.
No, we can't travel abroad for other reasons so that's off the cards. None of us even have in-date passports.

The furthest we go is Butlin's Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
ItsAllAboutTheLighting · 02/01/2022 08:31

@GoodnightGrandma

But it might well have prevented him being so ill, which is the whole point. You don’t know how ill he might have been without the vaccine. Why does he want to do ?
The side effects of the vaccination itself were pretty brutal so he will only get further vaccinations if I insist.
OP posts:
GoodnightGrandma · 02/01/2022 08:33

I only had side effects with my first, and I was wary about getting my booster, but it was fine thankfully.
My DS has declined his second due to the myocarditis risk, and I respect his decision.

delilahbucket · 02/01/2022 08:36

One dose doesn't really do much, so yes I would be encouraging him to have the second. Another variant may come along that is far worse than Omicron.
What side effects did he have from the vaccine? I don't know of a single child who had anything beyond a bit of a sore arm.

Wankerchief · 02/01/2022 08:38

Your a nurse but don’t see the point?

Flabbergasted

MoiraNotRuby · 02/01/2022 08:40

My teens both had one dose, DD was ok and is having second dose, DS was really badly side affected and is not having second dose. I think we all have a moral duty to be vaccinated as much as possible, not everyone can be vaccinated so it helps protect others.

sofato5miles · 02/01/2022 08:43

I dunno. It all depends why you think, that despite mumsnet's anecdata? global govts are pushing, after expert epidemologists' advice for vaccines and boosters?

PAFMO · 02/01/2022 08:43

You're a nurse so presumably know that any risk from the vaccine is statistically minute.
Have you, as a nurse, explained to your son that at his age he's more likely to spontaneously develop myocarditis? And that should he be unfortunate enough to develop it post-vaccine it's rarely a dangerous condition and usually clears up by itself in a few days?
What brutal side effects did he get?
I'd be a bit concerned as a parent (especially one with a medical background) who my son was talking to to have such a reaction (no pun intended) against having a vaccine tbh.

AmaryllisNightAndDay · 02/01/2022 08:44

I think so, yes. Vaccination like infection builds up our resistance and each vaccine/infection builds it up a little more. Covid isn't going away, new variants will keep coming. And some of those variants may attack younger people - it was one of the worries about omicron at first, though that did not materialise. We might not be so lucky with a future variant.

And while vaccination doesn't stop people spreading the illness, it does slow that down, and that's worthwhile too.

The side effects of the vaccination itself were pretty brutal

Difficult decision then. But I would get a second if it's on offer.

Theredjellybean · 02/01/2022 08:48

You might not want to travel but your son might in the future.
Just because you are happy with his life being restricted due to a lack of full vaccination (due to your frankly dodgy reasoning) doesn't mean he will be.
What about going to sorts events, theatre trips, festivals, holidays with friends etc.
And the obvious.. Its not your choice, it's his... What does he want?

Beadebaser · 02/01/2022 08:50

@ItsAllAboutTheLighting

While I think asking social media for advice can be useful, I think the best thing is to -

  1. read the NHS guidance with your teenager
  2. book an appointment with GP/school nurse/medical professional to discuss any concerns
Plumedenom · 02/01/2022 08:52

If he just had covid, then probably not, honestly. That was essentially his second jab. In fact in the EU, people who have already had covid in previous recent months are only offered one shot. I am getting my dc vaccinated tomorrow (5 and 10). They have had covid too and it was actually asymptomatic but it was May 2021 so I'm trying to prevent a repeat, which as you say my be futile but there's not much more to be done! In your case, the best prevention will be the new mask rules just announced in classrooms for secondary students.

Beadebaser · 02/01/2022 08:52

@Theredjellybean - parental consent IS still part of the decision making process until age 16

gogohm · 02/01/2022 08:53

Large events are likely to be restricted to the vaccinated - we had to show passes to go to the rugby, the theatre and the New Year's Eve party, no vaccine no entry. I had to side effects with the second dose(did with the first)

Mrbob · 02/01/2022 08:55

@Wankerchief

Your a nurse but don’t see the point?

Flabbergasted

My feelings precisely. When will people realise anecdotes aren’t data?
MsTSwift · 02/01/2022 08:59

Made special effort to get my teens the second jab as soon as was allowed we love to travel and taking two single vaxxed teens to Europe is a right palaver.

trumpisagit · 02/01/2022 09:06

My teens are taking a wait and see approach.
2 vaccines aren't going to be enough to travel to Europe soon anyway (already the case you need 3 to travel to Austria).
I am really unsure teen vaccine is a good idea.

trumpisagit · 02/01/2022 09:31

Lfts are probably better than vaccine passports for large events anyway, and certainly they are an option now.

MyGreenTutu · 02/01/2022 09:36

Keeping up with the recommended vaccination schedule is only going to make life easier as we go forward. He may not travel abroad now, but in the not so distant future he will want to, he will also want to go to concerts, festivals, perhaps live in shared accommodation etc etc. My kids have missed out on so much already; I want them to be able to participate freely in anything they can and if keeping up with vaccines is the key to that, then I will encourage them to have the jabs they need.

BooksAndGin · 02/01/2022 09:38

Genuinely speaking once a illness like covid starts getting weaker and that variant spreads, the variants get weaker following that.
Personally I wouldn't but it's really down to your teen and what he wants to do.

PAFMO · 02/01/2022 09:42

@trumpisagit

Lfts are probably better than vaccine passports for large events anyway, and certainly they are an option now.
Not in most of Europe they aren't. Given the high likelihood of false negatives and the possibility of faking results. That's why in the countries where testing is permitted, most of them don't allow self-administered tests.
LynetteScavo · 02/01/2022 09:58

I don't think MN is the right place to ask this question.

One or two vaccines seem to offer little protection from Omicron (hence the huge push for boosters) I'm not sure anyone knows how much protection one vaccine and Covid (the delta variant) gives (against the omicron variant)

My gut feeling would be to wait until his Covid antibodies from having the virus are waining and then get boosted. The problem with that is you don't know when that is. But with the booster only giving 10ish weeks of protection you might what time the booster as to when your DS will be most exposed to Covid. Personally anytime after three months post Covid I'd be giving him the booster.

Theredjellybean · 02/01/2022 10:21

Parantal consent is not required.
Lfts as an alternative to vaccination is not valid in Europe, plus there is a huge cost to the government and the environment with continued huge use of lfts.
Most countries are not giving them out for free like we are, I can see a point in future when if you choose not to be vaccinated and rely on lft to access places/events you will need to pay for them.
I think the OP's son deserves to be made aware of all the potential limitations he might face if not fully vaccinated.