Vaccinating children

[Poplob]

It seems from reading threads on here and elsewhere that lots aren't vaccinating their primary aged children as they are concerned the vaccine hasn't finished trials yet and may have long term effects we don't know about. Are people not worried about the long term effects of covid (or repeated covid if they've already had it)? Genuine question. What made you decide the potential LT risks of the vaccine were greater than the potential LT risks of covid? I don't mean long covid but long term damage to the heart, lungs, brain etc. That's what worries me more than the vaccine. My DC 7 and 5 (who haven't had covid) are getting theirs done at the weekend but everyone I've spoken to has expressed shock about this.

I'm a secondary school teacher and good friends with one of the teachers at DDs primary. It has been striking that the older secondary pupils and adults who have been vaccinated catch covid and then have a decent long while of immunity (with exceptions where they had Delta then Omicron). The primary and youngest secondary who aren't vaccinated are catching it every 8 weeks and it just keeps circulating round. Several have had it three times since September. For that reason alone, that the vaccine seems to mean longevity of immunity after having it, I would vaccinate.
We've also seen far too many children really ill. The majority are ok after a few days, but it's a significant minority that aren't - 2 weeks feeling awful like real flu with temps of 40 degrees; some hospitalised; worsening of minor underlying conditions like asthma; some with long covid - and for me that's a crazy risk to take when there is a safe and effective vaccine.
I'm also aware my DD is part of a community. Her friend with diabetes and her teacher who has a severely disabled vulnerable child at home deserve to be protected. The vaccine will prevent DD getting it so frequently and reduce the length of time she is infectious, and her symptoms so also reduce the viral load and reduce spread. The stakes are my DD feeling a bit achey for 24 hours after a vaccine versus someone vulnerable dying - no brainer.

We've also seen far too many children really ill statistics?

I'm fairly agnostic and wouldn't rule out them having it at some point, depending on circumstances, but this is broadly where I am now. The decision will be made solely on what's best for my DC, and the reasons to take action don't seem sufficiently persuasive at the moment. My DC are not vulnerable and as such the odds of them experiencing serious complications if/when reinfected are very low.

Long Covid is not really a relevant factor for me either, for multiple reasons. My DC have already had covid anyway, the prevalence and significance of LC is incredibly difficult to get good data on as well as being a pretty nebulous concept in the first place (take it from someone who's allegedly got it according to the ONS definition). I'm not going to make medical decisions about vaccinations based on something as woolly as that. It's just not persuasive enough.

I've no particular worry about the risks of the vaccine itself, and conversely if the vaccine was actually going to prevent my DC getting covid again it would be a different discussion. As it isn't, the way in which OP frames the discussion is incorrect.

Given that the jabs don't prevent covid, some see it as a choice between jabs and covid or just covid

A much clearer explanation of my earlier post lol.

This is my view and for my kids I chose just covid.

My 13 year old is fully vaccinated.

My 9 year old has had her first and will have her second in a few weeks.

I think people are absolute muppets and anti social if they don't get vaccinated b

No, there is absolutely no good reason for getting healthy children vaccinated for covid.

I am not remotely concerned about long covid.

If my children were clinically vulnerable, or the vaccine was effective (in the sense that it prevents catching or spreading of the disease) then I might feel differently. However as it stands, all 3 of my children have had covid and it was very mild with no lingering effects. I don't know a single other parent who will be doing this.

Doubtless everyone whose primary aged DC aren't being vaccinated will be just brimming with fucks.

Mine have had their first doses, booked for their second. The older one had a bit of a sore arm, but that’s it for side effects. Side effects for vaccines are more or less immediate, not long term. Unlike long covid. I’m not sure why so many people are willing to risk that for the kids.

My small children have had Covid twice and been fine. But if a longterm effect IS going emerge then having the vaccine now won't save them, will it?

Nobody can know for certain how things will pan out until more time has passed. But I think if they suffer a reaction from an illness caught naturally during a pandemic, it'll be crap but very unlucky. If I actively take them for a vaccine and they suffer a reaction, it will be due to my decision.

I'm not prepared to double up on risk with a new vaccine that they demonstrably don't need.

Literally don’t care if you vaccinate your children or not but I find it bizarre people claim not to see both arguments- neither is concrete. I could equally say who would risk their teenage sons heart with the vaccine

Literally don’t care if you vaccinate your children or not but I find it bizarre people claim not to see both arguments- neither is concrete.

Yes, people don't seem to realise how silly they sound coming out with that when this is clearly a situation with fairly balanced risks and benefits for most of the cohort.

They don't need a vaccine and it's certainly not worth the risk

DS has had all vaccines but I’m struggling to justify the hassle of this one. He’s had covid twice, isn’t CEV and doesn’t live with someone that is CEV.

Didn’t the scientists think at one time that children over the age of 10 were more likely to be Ill and spread it? I might reconsider for secondary school or travel

I'm also aware my DD is part of a community. Her friend with diabetes and her teacher who has a severely disabled vulnerable child at home deserve to be protected.

I'm full of admiration for this sentiment @AnIckabog. Just to say that Type I diabetes isn't, in itself, a high risk factor. You often hear diabetes mentioned because a significant proportion of adults with Type 2 are also older and overweight, but for young, fit children with Type I they wouldn't be considered CV, let alone CEV.

@thing47 yes, I'm aware that on diabetes only makes a child CV not CEV for an adult. However, I have seen what covid did to my teenage pupils with diabetes and although it isn't likely to kill a child with diabetes, it really messes with their control and makes them quite poorly. I have one GCSE pupil who lost nearly a term of school, because once she was rundown from covid her diabetes spiralled out of control. She is back now but still not herself a few months later.

My 10 year old won’t be having the vaccine. She’s had covid and recovered easily.
My 16 year old had her vaccine and then had a pulmonary embolism (a month or so later) and is now on blood thinners. The whole experience was frightening and the clots were almost missed due to it being very unusual at her age.
It could have been the vaccine or the contraceptive pill she was on, or a combination of both.
I’m not anti-vaccine, very much in favour of them - I’m just not prepared to take the risk of my other child having blood clots.

I have no idea what happened to my grammar in that sentence. I mean type 1 diabetes doesn't make a child or adult CEV, although adults and I think children with it would be considered CV - but there were never any adjustments or lists of CV children as there were adults so it's effectively a category that doesn't officially exist.

@moonfacebaby that must have been scary! I can see why if you have a first degree family member that has happened to then you would need to be cautious. Given that covid also causes blood clots though so if you have a tendency to them it is a risk, I would say this is a reason why everyone who can should get vaccinated - to protect people like your DCs who for very good reasons want to avoid it.

Both my children have had natural covid and were fine. To be honest I’m more nervous of adenovirus just now with the hepatitis situation- if there were a vaccine for that I’d take it. My DS was hospitalised with adenovirus but barely had a single symptom with covid.

Yes, unfortunately that's true of any virus or infection. Vomiting bugs are particularly tough to manage because if you can't keep any food down you need to be very careful not to take too much insulin. Neither of my two DCs with diabetes suffered badly from Covid, but they are both abnormally fit. I was worse, had about 10 days in bed, but was still nowhere close to needing hospital treatment. FWIW my two use insulin pumps which they would say has revolutionised their lives in terms of management - much easier to make small, constant adjustments. You sound like a very caring teacher!

OK, will stop derailing thread now.

Hi OP, I agree with you. I'm more concerned about the studies on organ damage, aging of the immune system etc linked to even mild/asymptomatic cases of covid too, although am also concerned about long covid. My kids were booked in for the vaccine, but caught covid the week before, which means they have to wait. I suspect there will be others in that position. I feel that the decision to vaccinate/not vaccinate has been taken out of my hands somewhat - there are no protective measures for kids and their exposure levels are high. Side effects from the vaccines seem much less than that for covid, so it feels like the only choice is to vaccinate for me personally.

Absolutely not. I’m a never on this. Why would you vaccinate a child against an illness that they have a 99.99% chance of not being seriously unwell? The mind boggles.

There are lots coming through the drop in centre where I work. I think people are just not advertising it.

I was a bit on the fence, due to the low risk of serious illness in children from covid. My son is 10 years old. He has had the first vaccine because I decided it was worth it to reduce the risk from possible new variants.

It's not even recommended for kids under 12. Plus now with the increased risk of myocarditis etc...who would take the risk?