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Original poster

Vaccinating healthy 11 year old

195 replies

Hocuspocusandfairies · 04/02/2022 12:32

Can I please ask you all whether you'd get your healthy 11 year old vaccinated as my son has come home with a letter and I've no idea what to do.

OP posts:
themental · 04/02/2022 14:07

This reply has been deleted

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TheChip · 04/02/2022 14:07

[quote JamieNorthlife]Im connfused I thought the Gov website only recommends for over 12's.

This medicinal product has been given authorisation for temporary supply by the UK Department of Health and Social Care and the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. It does not have a marketing authorisation, but this temporary authorisation grants permission for the medicine to be used for active immunisation to prevent COVID-19 disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus in individuals aged 12 years of age and over.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-approval-of-pfizer-biontech-vaccine-for-covid-19/information-for-uk-recipients-on-pfizerbiontech-covid-19-vaccine[/quote]
You'd think they'd update it from saying "prevents" to "slightly reduces the chances"

madmomma · 04/02/2022 14:09

No. My kids aren't having it. I don't think it's in their best interests.

Toty · 04/02/2022 14:13

Absolutely not. My unvaccinated 13 year old and all their friends have recently had covid. Milder than the common cold for every single one of them. Besides the vaccines don't work against omicron, there'll be new ones soon, not that healthy children need them. I really don't understand why anyone is still rolling up their sleeves for a vaccine that was created to protect against a varient no longer in circulation.

FflosFfantastig · 04/02/2022 14:14

No I wouldn't.

madmomma · 04/02/2022 14:16

Absolutely LOL at the idea of giving your children a vaccine that you feel uncomfortable about just so you can go and top up your tan. The mind boggles. We'll be going to Turkey, but if rules change there, we'll holiday in the UK.

angrydinogrrrr · 04/02/2022 14:17

Yes I definitely would, although I don't think it's too big a deal either way as risks are low.

I say yes because on balance with all present information - the established risks of covid are greater than the vaccine (including the real risk of long covid, mis c etc).

In terms of the very long term unknown 'what if' kind of risks of vaccines that many are worried about... The risks of this are really tiny and at present even there is no plausible mechanism for the vaccine to cause any major issues. Also in the long term viruses which are initially mild (e.g epsptein Barr, hpv, hiv, chicken pox, mumps etc) can cause significant issues down the line..so if you want to consider the long term unknown of the vaccine you should consider it against the long term unknown of the virus. More people have had the virus for longer so I guess there is more information... But then lasting damage has been seen in many patients too. Vaccines have been given on mass to children across the globe since July which is 8 months and as far as I'm aware there is no evidence of long term issues.

Like I say it's a close one.. there is no really bad decision but I would , as most of the health experts who I follow and have trust in do recommend it.

Gardengates · 04/02/2022 14:19

Mine are having it. They are 11 and 8. We are in France where is is available from age 5.

I have my guidance from our family doctor who went to medical school and has read the guidance issued by doctors and scientists based on scientific reports and data collected from around the world.

More reliable than me spending 10 minutes on Google and declaring that I have done my research.

OP, you probably already know whether you want to vaccinate them or not. Half the people here will help you feel better about your decision and half will disagree with you.

If you really want help making a decision as opposed to confirming the one you were going to make anyway, find someone IRL you trust who has some relevant knowledge and expertise and talk to them.

MarshaBradyo · 04/02/2022 14:19

I didn’t realise 11 year olds were being invited here

Op it’s a tough decision, Ds is 12 and has had delta and I need to decide as appointment is booked and I’m still not sure

Satingreenshutters · 04/02/2022 14:20

NOT a hope!

MarshaBradyo · 04/02/2022 14:20

The only thing I found a bit confirming was in Aus (and other countries but I’m from there) they are vaccinating younger already

Remmy123 · 04/02/2022 14:24

I didn't vaccinate my 13 year old as I wasn't sure.. I am still not sure so will wait until we feel 100% confident.

MarshaBradyo · 04/02/2022 14:25

Comforting rather

Sloughsabigplace · 04/02/2022 14:25

@madmomma

Absolutely LOL at the idea of giving your children a vaccine that you feel uncomfortable about just so you can go and top up your tan. The mind boggles. We'll be going to Turkey, but if rules change there, we'll holiday in the UK.
I cannot get my head around it.

The same with people who’s only reason for having it themselves was to be able to go on holiday.

Is it really that important? You’d take a vaccine
you weren’t completely confit with or have your children vaccinated just for two weeks away?

I say that as someone who couldn’t afford a U.K. break let alone to leave the country into I was 28, and then spent the next 4 years travelling extensively after that. So i’ve traveled and not travelled. It’s not the be all and end all at the moment.

Remmy123 · 04/02/2022 14:28

And yes we are planning to take our unvaccinated kids abroad, likely Turkey as we wanted to go there anyway and they do not require you to be fully vaccinated.

Think Greece is ok too.

I am sure Spain will relax their rules when they realise it will effect tourism.

madmomma · 04/02/2022 14:30

slough yep. What weird priorities some people must have. Reminds me of those parents who refuse to take any responsibility for their children's education cos it's 'school's job'. Same psychology.

Pootle40 · 04/02/2022 14:35

My son turned 12 in October and I don't plan to. Looks isolation (and hopefully testing) will be going out of the window so glad I held off.

Pootle40 · 04/02/2022 14:36

@Snoopsnoggysnog

So no one on this thread planning to take their DC abroad this year then
Going to turkey (not needed) Plus I think other countries will scrap current rules by summer
Meowwwwwww · 04/02/2022 14:37

I don’t live in the UK. My children are 8, 10 and 11 and all vaccinated. I don’t know many children over 5 who aren’t. We also travel a lot and my kids are very sporty and the oldest uses public transport to get to school and they spend a decent amount of time with their 70-year-old grandfather so it was the right decision for us. Two of them had covid last month but it was mild.

Original poster
Hocuspocusandfairies · 04/02/2022 14:39

Thank you to everybody for sharing your views. I've been reading through. I've got the weekend to think it through before the form needs to be back for Monday. I'm wondering if it's area dependant with the age groups that they're offering vaccines to

OP posts:
MarshaBradyo · 04/02/2022 14:41

@Meowwwwwww

I don’t live in the UK. My children are 8, 10 and 11 and all vaccinated. I don’t know many children over 5 who aren’t. We also travel a lot and my kids are very sporty and the oldest uses public transport to get to school and they spend a decent amount of time with their 70-year-old grandfather so it was the right decision for us. Two of them had covid last month but it was mild.
We’ve had it incredibly mildly here pre vaccine - asymptomatic pretty much just a few coughs one night

Which makes me question the benefit

Then again risk is low so could go ahead

dementedpixie · 04/02/2022 14:42

Are there 12 year old children in his year group? He will be unlikely to get it under age 12 as its not offered to them yet

MrsJaxTellerPlease · 04/02/2022 14:43

Yes. My 12 year old was vaccinated. She also has the flu jab every year.

ILookAtTheFloor · 04/02/2022 14:47

@themental

No. I'm very pro-vaccine but absolutely not this one.

Will I inject my healthy child with a vaccine brought in under emergency use authorisation that won't stop them catching or getting ill with the thing they're supposed to have been vaccinated against - which they were never at any serious risk from in the first place?

Madness IMHO. Utterly pointless and a complete waste of vaccines for those who actually need them.

We'll go to Turkey.

This post sums up my thoughts exactly

Aside from the Turkey bit as we only holiday in the UK. Grin

Lolamento · 04/02/2022 14:48

At this stage I would wait a bit longer. Things are changing fast.