Anyone managed to get their 5-11 year old vaccinated yet?

[FoodSchmood]

As household contacts of a CEV person my kids are now eligible for Covid vaccination (link here for anyone unaware).

I'm trying to get it organised, but the GP say they don't do it, the local vaccination team say they don't do it and the schools immunisation team (both local and county) say they don't do it either. Each pass me to the other! I know systems for extra vaccinations for CEV folk and their households have been badly organised and know it may take some time for the local health authorities to organise it, but I'm posting in the hopes that someone has managed it, so we can try whatever they did to get theirs done! :)

(and i'll say upfront I'm not looking for a debate about vaccinating children, thanks!)

Point of care systems for GPs have searches that find eligible patients: my understanding is that the equivalent searches will be written for 5-11 year olds which will enable them to identify eligible patients - but that roll out hasn't yet started.

@Wigeon
When they approved the vaccine for vulnerable 12-15 years olds in September they explicitly stated all those with autism regardless of severity were included following review of hospital data. There doesn’t seem to have been anything clear for the 5-11 year olds, the list still appears to use the previous criteria / wording of severe neurological disability or on learning disability register.

Personally I won't be getting my daughter vaccinated until there is much more evidence to show it doesn't affect fertility in young girls. The ovaries absorb up to 10% of the mRNA vaccine which is why they think it affects some women's cycles. Ive had the vaccines and can cope with the idea of my ovulation being a bit messed up for a few months, but I can't cope with the idea that my small daughter's ovaries with all the eggs she'll ever have may be affected.

Personally I don't think it's a bad thing to hold off vaccinating children's yet until there is far more research. The research done on rats and fertility didn't have great outcomes, but because their cycles are much shorter than humans it is difficult to know the impact on humans.

@mightbeyesmightbeno are you immunosuppressed?

Hmmm, random on the internet quoting made up stats about ovaries absorbing RNA or many studies investigating RNA vaccines that found no cause for concern? Who to believe???

I wonder if there are any studies into the impact of your mother dying when you are six years old after she caught covid from you?

Exactly Food.

@pastmybestbeforedate

force fist bump!*

*My kids came up with force hugs (think Star Wars!) when we had to shield and they couldn’t hug their grandparents/aunties/friends anymore.

Which will obviously make zero sense if you haven’t seen Star Wars and/or don’t know what the force is!! Sorry, huge nerd household here and forget not everyone is!

@mightbeyesmightbeno

Personally I won't be getting my daughter vaccinated until there is much more evidence to show it doesn't affect fertility in young girls. The ovaries absorb up to 10% of the mRNA vaccine which is why they think it affects some women's cycles. Ive had the vaccines and can cope with the idea of my ovulation being a bit messed up for a few months, but I can't cope with the idea that my small daughter's ovaries with all the eggs she'll ever have may be affected.

Personally I don't think it's a bad thing to hold off vaccinating children's yet until there is far more research. The research done on rats and fertility didn't have great outcomes, but because their cycles are much shorter than humans it is difficult to know the impact on humans.

I completely agree. The vaccine played havoc with my cycle and rushing to get children vaccinated (unless immunosuppressed) is a mistake in my opinion

@PastMyBestBeforeDate

Food same here. My consultant has said there's no point putting a 4th dose into me because I'm too immunosuppressed to have any response. Meantime I live with an unvaccinated child.

@PastMyBestBeforeDate

I’m really surprised, unless you’re on high dose chemotherapy or recently had a stem cell or bone marrow transplant? In which case, it’s going to be delayed. I’m on immune suppressants for an autoimmune disease and I have a rare immunodeficiency. I don’t make antibodies but even they said they don’t fully understand every element of the immune system and there may be some protection from T cells so it’s worth it.

@mightbeyesmightbeno

Personally I won't be getting my daughter vaccinated until there is much more evidence to show it doesn't affect fertility in young girls. The ovaries absorb up to 10% of the mRNA vaccine which is why they think it affects some women's cycles. Ive had the vaccines and can cope with the idea of my ovulation being a bit messed up for a few months, but I can't cope with the idea that my small daughter's ovaries with all the eggs she'll ever have may be affected.

Personally I don't think it's a bad thing to hold off vaccinating children's yet until there is far more research. The research done on rats and fertility didn't have great outcomes, but because their cycles are much shorter than humans it is difficult to know the impact on humans.

OMG I've heard it all now!

Why 10% as a made up stat? Surely 90% would be scarier.

Do you even know what mRNA is?

The paedatric dose is smaller, but it's a different vial as far as I'm aware, as opposed to just a smaller dose. And we will need a new/updated Patient Group Directive or National Protocol to administer it. There's a lot more behind the scenes work that goes into being able to legally administer a vaccine than the JCVI saying 'it's safe to give go ahead'. I don't think they've even agreed with the CCG exactly who will be responsible for giving it....

@Mickarooni research into antibody development in people on the medications I'm on found that something like a third had no detectable levels of antibodies post vaccination. I'm on a pretty standard combination treatment of biologic and traditional immunosuppressant used for lots of folks with auto immune conditions. As you say, there are unknowns, but the safest assumption is that folks on these drugs are unlikely to gain protection from vaccination. I've just had my fourth dose, as I'll do whatever I can to be as protected as possible, but I'll be unsurprised if it's to little effect.

@Mickarooni sorry, that sounded narkier than it was supposed to! Not having a go! Just replying about research I've seen as it's interesting.

@FoodSchmood

No no, I agree with you! But - in your example - if a third had no antibody response then that means 2/3rds had some and the info I received from medics that some response was better than none.
I wasn’t very clear in my post but when I said “it’s worth it” at the end, I meant I think it’s worth it to have the vaccines even if you only get some response. :) my immunologist said even if we don’t make any antibodies, the immune system may be learning how to deal with Covid due to the T cells. Obviously people like us will be very high risk but my view is that it’s worth trying with the vaccines for me. I looked at all the possible side effects from the vaccine and felt it was worth the risk to try and get even the tiniest bit of protection. Hopefully that makes sense!

Food may the force be with you

Mick my consultant is a bit woolly I am supposed to have my fourth jab but not for a while. My meds wear off so then I might respond and have some immunity for a month or two. And yes I would make T cells. It's my B cells that get wiped out by treatment.

@PastMyBestBeforeDate

Food may the force be with you

Mick my consultant is a bit woolly I am supposed to have my fourth jab but not for a while. My meds wear off so then I might respond and have some immunity for a month or two. And yes I would make T cells. It's my B cells that get wiped out by treatment.

Might be worth getting a second view? Fingers crossed for you! I always say, come on, immune system, you gotta do something!!

Thanks for this thread. I didn’t know this was going to be rolled out so happy about this (my DC won’t be! I foresee some bribing!)

Anyone know how much vaccinations in young (6 and 7 yo) children reduce the chance of them passing on Covid? I appreciate that it reduces but doesn’t stop transmission between vaccinated adults- not sure if vaccination brings the same sort of % reduction for transmission in children?

@mightbeyesmightbeno

more nonsense, more scaremongering

I'm more confident than I was Mick The T cell research is encouraging. Sadly I am a bit stuck with this consultant. High demand, limited hospitals. The treatment is fine but he's a bit 'nice'. I'd like a consultant who has a firm opinion even if I had to argue with him.

Come to Australia. You can get them vaccinated as from Monday. And if we're really lucky they'll mandate that too. No jab, no school.

I'm not saying that there is clear evidence either way on the affect of fertility in children. I'm saying I think waiting until there is more time / read each / evidence either way is a good idea.

It's a well known fact that it can affect a women's menstrual cycle, and this is because the vaccine is absorbed by the ovaries and therefore delays ovulation. Obviously not ever woman, but some.

Therefore I think reasonable to wait some more time to research what it may do to young girls' ovaries when they haven't even started their menstrual cycles yet.

@mightbeyesmightbeno again, are you immunosuppressed or is your dd ECV?

I am immunosuppressed and have had all 3 vaccines and I also work as a very qualified & experiences respiratory specialist - if that helps you at all. This is just my opinion but I think it's a valid point.