Are children still being vaccinated?

[Precipitate]

I have an 11 year old and a 13 year old both of whom have only had their first COVID vaccination. When I've tried to book a second I struggle to get an appointment within reasonable travelling distance. The nearest seem to be 40mins driving as a minimum. Most don't do vaccinations for under 16. Then when it does say they do vaccinations for over 5s and I ring and check only to find out they don't actually. Both kids in question have no underlying health conditions and both have had mild cases of COVID.

Are they still vaccinating children?

Would you bother trying to get a vaccination?

I wouldn't bother personally. None of us in our house have even had one covid vaccine.

Anyone I know whose kids were vaxxed only did it to go on holiday.

It makes me sad to hear parents still doing it when there is so much evidence it’s unnecessary for healthy children. There are many people injured by the vaccine which even if you argue there is always a small minority with every medicine, why would you risk if. Surely the fact you are struggling to get it tells you something

DD aged 12 has had Covid twice. She’s had vaccine and booster over Summer/Autumn 2022.

Both times with Covid she was quite poorly for a few days.
With vaccine, nothing other than a slightly sore arm.

I see a combination of both vaccine/infection building her hybrid immunity and beneficial to her defence against the virus as she gets older.
I will follow whatever is advised by her GP.
I seem to remember I was messaged by the surgery, and booked her vaccine after that.

If I don’t here from the surgery then I probably won’t bother - or just keep an eye on the news.
I’m sure you’ll be able to sift through the sensible advice here, and dismiss the Mumsnet band of anti-vaxxers.

Advice is to not vaccinate kids

Spot on!

Bonkers how people still write this stuff. And the gaul to trot out the tin foil hat line. Ayone saying that now is beyond having their head in the sand!

@DisplayPurposesOnly where are you getting your facts from? Vaccine manufacturers and the US Government? They are about the only ones sill hanging on to that !00% sfae and effective line now! It'snt just isolated cases and only the vuneralble need the vaccine, it's pretty much no use in the age of Onicron except for the vunerable.

@loulouljh Exactly me too.

@Nerdygirl Exactly!

@MinkyGreen "Mumsnet antivaxxers"!
Another one clinging to a fact free world it seems...

@PoisonedPens

Safe and effective is the medical advice given in every country across the globe, from Sweden to Australia. Sweden having one of the highest uptakes in Europe.

That’s Sweden - right? Every anti-lockdowner’s favourite country. Not changing their advice : safe and effective. 85% vaccinated over the age of 12.

From public health Sweden : Vaccination is the most effective way to avoid becoming seriously ill or dying from Covid-19. Vaccination also helps to reduce the spread of infection.
Even if you have had Covid-19, it is recommended that be vaccinated with three doses. Those who have had Covid-19 have developed protection against the disease, but we do not currently know how long this protection will last.
Vaccination against Covid-19, The Public Health Agency of Sweden

Call me old fashioned but I prefer to not to have my kids injected with stuff they don't need.....

Who gave this advice?
It's not the advice we have been given.

@HazeyjaneIII

I’d say a Mumsnet thread is probably the worst place to come for medical advice.
My personal advice would be to follow NHS guidance, and if you are unsure there - look at what the health guidance is across Europe or across the globe.
@hopemumsnet Correct me if I’m wrong, but Mumsnet thinks anti vaccine posts are ‘fine’ or anti science posts are ‘fine’ - however a post that is goady is not fine.
Given that this is a parenting forum, people are looking for advice for their children, people may be pregnant or vulnerable - I would have thought Mumsnet would have had more concern -or a duty of care. Apparently not.
I’m wondering if Mumsnet would allow threads referring to other medication as dangerous ‘stuff’ or that a vitamin k injection is ‘poison’ - or threads advising others to ignore medical advice and to smoke/drink through pregnancy as it’s perfectly fine.… Or is it just Covid consensus medical advice that Mumsnet allows harmful misinformation to be peddled about?

I wouldn't bother now. I did get dc fully done, but a very long time ago, and deliberately at the first opportunity. And if I'd needed to I would've driven 40 minutes. In fact for ds2 Dh did drive him a good half an hour away to Esher racecourse. So I'm surprised you didn't just do it.

I didn't do it for travel. I did it for teen ds's because at the time I thought it was the best thing to do. And I still do believe that. But that was some time ago, so doesn't apply now.

@MinkyGreen
I'm shocked that Mumsnet still allows so much disinformatiom regarding Covid, on the site. I left Mumsnet for a while not long after the pandemic started , because it was so brutal here... especially for those of us with vulnerable children.

I will continue to follow the advice of ds's paediatrician...which is to be vaccinated and get boosted. I do however wish there could be a sensible discussion on how measures could be introduced to schools to make them safer places to be. I also wish there was a more effective vaccine and treatment programme for children who don't qualify for the antivirals.

I was invited for DS, read guidelines as he’d had it recently, turned up on the day and they said the .gov website advise was wrong and it needs to be X amount of time afterwards, system won’t let me rebook as they think he’s been vaccinated 🙄