Vaccinating your child (5-11)

[WeOnlyTalkAboutBruno]

My kids are in this age bracket. Both have had covid (both were mildly symptomatic) as have I. My husband and I are both fully vaxxed. Kids have had all their other childhood vaccinations so I am not an antivaxxer by any measure.

However, I am feeling very reluctant to have my kids vaccinated against covid. I’m not outright saying no yet, but must admit I’m leaning towards it. My eldest had covid when her appointment came through, so that bought us some breathing space while we think about it, but to be honest I’m finding many of their friends’ parents are similarly reluctant. Purely anecdotally, I’m not seeing many kids in that bracket that are being vaccinated.

my reasons - well I suppose it’s a new vaccine and I worry a little about long term effects - what if there is an effect that we don’t know about yet? Sure I don’t care if it’s me, I made my decision for me, I’ll live with the consequences (if there are any) but it’s different when you’re deciding for other people. Also - I don’t really feel like it is needed at this point 😕

i was just wondering if anyone else had any feelings or insight into this. Is anyone seeing the opposite to me?

Well that's not really true is it considering people are still catching covid whether they are vaccinated or not! Don't see how being vaccinated is going to stop the pandemic. The natural evolution of the virus to a weaker strain is what has helped.
Vaccines have their place but only in older people and vulnerable people. Young children do not need them, complete waste of resources.

It is potentially deadly to anyone they transmit the virus to.

My DS10 has been vaccinated twice for travel reasons, zero side effects…

I live in the US. My 7yo and 11yo got the vax in December, and have not had COVID (before or after). No side effects. Their school is 95% fully vaxxed, and the number of cases has been very low. We knew there was a low probability they would get COVID, but like most vaccines we do it for the greater good.

I will have to vaccinate 11 year old to turn 12 for holiday. But don't agree with any child vaccines. Every kid I know has had Covid but not one been ill. Kids don't need the vaccine they need to bounce back using Their own immunity. Yes Covid is crap but mainly to the weak. Kids are so strong and they need to stay that way

Several kids in my DD’s daycare have been seriously ill with COVID, including one requiring hospitalization, despite having no known underlying conditions. At least 2 have some form of “long COVID” and are really struggling to rebound, 6 weeks or even 8 months (!!!) later.

In the couple of weeks before my DD became eligible for the vaccine, two children her age in our broader community died from COVID.

The SECOND she became eligible, we rushed to get her vaccinated, and it’s been a real weight off our shoulders. She had no side effects bar a slightly sore arm for 2 days, and she was actually really proud to do her bit to “stop the virus”.

My DS9 has just had Covid. Very unwell for one day, under the weather for two more, now totally fine.

I feel like you OP. Very undecided, esp now that he's just had it with so little impact. Me and DH are both still feeling rotten and both triple vaxxed. Although it does make me even more grateful that I didn't get it before the vaccines.

Like PP I think we will just wait and see for a bit now for our DS. Apart from anything else, it seems worth waiting until his natural immunity starts to wane and then boost it with the vaccine in a few months time if needed, rather than have it too soon.

@UpToMyElbowsInDiapers if I saw 2 kids die from that like you have I wouldn't hesitate. It's just so bizarre I haven't even seen a child slightly poorly, how can some kids die yet others have no symptoms

Dd (9) has had the first dose and we are so looking forward to her being fully faxed. A girl in her class was seriously I’ll with it and hospitalised. She pulled through but still isn’t back to school.

i figure it’s like measles - most kids with measles get a mild disease but a few get serious illness, so we vaccinate. Same with Covid.

I feel similar. My 16 year old has decided not to have his booster- he had both of his jabs. I don't blame him- the jabs made him more ill than both bouts of COVID. My main reason for encouraging him to get his jabs was so he could travel abroad. I don't think we will be getting my 6 year old jabbed.

Ds has recently been diagnosed as asthmatic and I've just had the letter for vaccination. I was shielded during the pandemic and always thought I'd get him vaccinated if offered. His older sisters are fully vaccinated. He passes every virus to me and I end up ill for weeks on steroids and antibiotics so I probably will get him vaccinated. I used to vaccinate all ages in my job and took part in all the swine flu vaccinations. He has managed not to get covid despite most of his school having it and his sister who lives with us. I've avoided it too and want to keep it that way.

I left it up to my children whether they wanted to be vaccinated (they’re 8 and 10). They did so I took them to get vaccinated during the Easter holidays.

I suspect that part of the reason for vaccinating children is that, when we start getting into Autumn and people start talking about reintroducing masks and bubbles in schools, the DoE can say “Well you’ve all had the chance to get your children double vaccinated”.

Presumably at some point it will be like the flu jab (or even included within it). Then the children will get a squirt up the nose at school.

Yes I have had mine vaccinated. The long term effects of Covid are more likely than the vaccine. Plus just because they've had it mildly once doesn't guarantee it will be mild next time.

My ks2 age twins have had theirs but they haven't had covid (as in have never tested positive) have an ecv relative, we are traveling several places in the summer which would be easier if they were vaxxed and also they were both poorly rsv when little and don't do well with respiratory bugs...all those factors swayed me that it was right for them and us...doesn't mean its right for everyone..might not have done it if the above didn't apply. For what it's worth too absolutely zero side effects.

@VanillaImpulse But viruses don't naturally weaken that is why we have vaccinations which DO encourage viruses to weaken thus protecting not just the vaccinated but also those who can't be.

My DC have each had covid 2-3 times, each time a mild illness. Last time was very recent.

I won’t be getting them vaccinated at this time, having had an infection so recently. Will wait to see what happens - I’d rather they (and society) benefited from the peak of any vaccine-induced immunity at a time when there was a greater need. So if we have a risk of bigger or more severe wave going into winter I will reconsider.

I'm pro-vaccine but that doesn't mean taking any medication or vaccine is free of potential complications. That said, as far as we know the vaccines are very safe. On the other end of the scale, what's the benefit? The statistics are very clear, if you've had Covid there's virtually no benefit to taking the vaccine, but the risks are still present. My children are too young to have the vaccine but as we've all had Covid now I won't be letting my children have I later on. Every medical proceedure, every drug, should be judged on its risk vs reward. There's all but no reward if you've had Covid already but there's still a small risk from the vaccine. Please don't take my or anyone's else's opinions on face value, please look into it... And by look into it, I don't mean get sucked in by some dole-ite, cannabis anti-vaxxer dickhead on Facebook.

Both mine aged 9 & 10 have had their jabs booked the minute we could. We’ve had all of ours. None of us 4 have had covid and test regularly so best guess is we haven’t. No clinically vulnerable or particularly old grandparents.

Long covid exists in children. Children do get very unwell from covid. The vax provides some protection. Why wouldn’t I want them to have some protection if I can offer that to them?? Completely blows my mind that people are on the fence. Particularly when the parents themselves have protected themselves.

What happened to the flu pandemic from 1918 then? People didn't keep dying, the viruses mutated to a less virulent strain and people developed immunity. They had no vaccines then. The same is happening now. How many people do you know who have still had covid despite being triple/quadruple jabbed?

I feel the exact same way about dd9... ds14 chose to have his, totally his choice as he’s autistic and very anxious about covid... they’ve both had all thier childhood vaccinations..I feel it’s too early for young kids to have it... I’d like it to be around for a Few years and know more long term affects before we decide.

Mine are both in this age bracket and have both had their vaccines. Neither has had covid yet and I feel like anything that helps their immune systems deal with it is good. The ‘mystery’ hepatitis infections in their age group are definitely an incentive too. But also, travel.

same way as for most illnesses. Take polio, vast majority of cases are asymptomatic, most of the rest get mild symptoms similar to a stomach bug. The proportion that get seriously ill is absolutely tiny. Yet, I suspect that most people on this thread will have vaccinated their children against it despite there being very little chance of them catching it in the U.K.

And if so, it makes very little sense not to vaccinate against covid. Which also varies from asymptomatic to fatal, but looks increasing like even mild doses may cause some long term damage and where your child is highly likely to come into contact with the virus.

myself and DH triple vaxxed. Had problems with period after booster.

2 DC will not be vaxxed. Eldest had it twice and mildly. Youngest asymptomatic. Myself and DH had it too.

i don’t see the point as it doesn’t stop transmission like we were promised and they have natural immunity at the moment anyway.

unless the strain changes and causes severe disease in children, we don’t be changing our minds

Or maybe survival of the fittest happened. People whose genes were able to survive the flu got to live on.