Post by goldengirlz on Jun 17, 2021 15:03:33 GMT -5
I’ve been surprised to hear how many people I know who got vaccinated themselves but are on the fence about vaccinating their kids — reasons ranging from fear over long-term effects to not feeling like covid is all that serious for children.
I never considered not vaccinating DD if/when it’s approved for her age group, but wondering how this board leans.
Post by timorousbeastie on Jun 17, 2021 15:10:12 GMT -5
Absolutely yes. I have 7 year old DD on the “yes I’m interested” list for the Pfizer trial and am desperately hoping she gets selected to participate. If not, I will be making an appointment for her the very first day she is eligible.
I have been surprised by this too! My son got it the first day he was eligible and I posted about it on social media to try to normalize it, but some do my friends/acquaintances just baffle me.
My kids are vaccinated but I found the same thing. Most parents don't see a need to vaccinate the kids and don't think it's worth the perceived risk. Heck, even my BFF who has participated in vaccine trials in the past, said she was glad her kids are still too young because she's not sure she's ready to have them get it.
I wanted my kids vaccinated so I could relax with regards to summer activities. Everything is now low risk to us.
I never considered not vaccinating immediately until I just saw Pfizer is testing a lower dose in younger kids, and I might wait for that if it would be available quickly.
Post by sillygoosegirl on Jun 17, 2021 15:26:20 GMT -5
Absolutely. I am way more concerned about the risk of long term side effects from COVID than I am about long term side effects from the vaccine. I hope they make it available to young kids soon.
Post by dulcemariamar on Jun 17, 2021 15:34:16 GMT -5
They will start vaccinating 12+ by the end of the summer/early fall here. I am in Europe and I feel like in most countries they don’t even give kids the flu shot so I doubt there will be a big demand from the parents. I will take into consideration the recommendation of our pediatrician.
Post by UMaineTeach on Jun 17, 2021 15:34:51 GMT -5
I will
I haven’t talked with a lot of parents, but those who have said something have said they are not going to do it. These are the same people who think the HPV vaccine leads to preteens having sex and have never been more sick than the time 20 years ago when they got the flu shot. Hadn’t had a cold before or sense.
Yep. DS(5) will be vaxxed as soon as he's eligible & I can get him an appt. The last 16 months of our lives can't be for no reason; a vaccine for him was always my end goal. His cousins won't be getting vaxxed cause my sister & BIL are anti-vax dumb dumbs. So we're protecting them as well as him.
Absolutely. I think there’s more risk to long-term risks of having COVID (cardiac, pulmonary, renal, and neurological problems to name just a few) than there are risks to getting the vaccine.
Probably but until all the info comes out on how kids under 12 do I can’t be an absolute yes. I also want to see what the CDC says about the myocarditis issues. I can’t imagine there will be anything that would make me go nope but I do want to look at all the data.
Right now I don’t know a single person that plans on vaccinating their kids. However, when the vaccine was approved my friend group was split 50/50 on getting it. They all finally got it within the last week or two. When more information comes out and people see it’s fine I bet you’ll see some of that hesitation go away.
Post by plutosmoon on Jun 17, 2021 16:00:27 GMT -5
Yes, as soon as her age group is approved. I am not sure how to respond to people who tell me they aren't planning to because of potential long term side effects. I told the last person, huh can't imagine they'll be worse than long term covid problems, I don't think that was taken well. I'm done being nice to anti vaxxers but these are people whose kids are fully vaccinated otherwise and they themselves got the covid vaccine. Generally, they are reasonable rational people, but they have gone off the "research" ledge on this.
Post by maddiepaddy on Jun 17, 2021 16:05:43 GMT -5
Yes, we’ll be the first in line as soon as it’s approved for under 2.
I am way more worried about potential long term Covid effects than anything from the vaccine.
I won’t feel comfort taking her on an airplane, to a playgroup, nursery school, etc until she’s vaxxed (I’m lucky that I have the privilege to be able to be keeping her home). But, even at almost one, I can tell she’s craving interaction with other kids. So, I can NOT wait for it to be her turn.
Well, my 15 year old already got it, so yes for her.
For my toddler, I will look at the data when it comes out (as I did with every round of the vaccines), particularly re: dosing and what the CDC ultimately says about the myocarditis issue. But I imagine she will also be a yes.
While I'm in favor of the vaccine and supported my teenager taking it when it was made available to her, it's really not all that insane to conclude that the vaccine is not a high priority for children. The UK health authorities seem to already be reaching that conclusion: www.bbc.com/news/health-57496074
In Israel, Covid cases plummeted with only adults being vaccinated, including cases among kids. If the same thing happens here (which already seems to be the case), getting kids vaccinated may be less of an emergency/priority. Which isn't to say that people won't do it eventually, but I could see a lot of parents waiting for full approval and not just EUA.
My sister made a similar point. Not that she’s opposed to vaccinating her kids, but that from a public health perspective, it’s probably more important to vaccinate high-risk individuals in lower-income countries.
I agree with abs that hesitancy might drop as time goes on, though I think if numbers continue to trend downward, we won’t see much urgency around vaccinating kids. I know I’m personally loosening up a lot more, despite DD not being vaccinated, because numbers are so low. That said, I’m also skeptical that the downward trend will hold, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see another wave with the Delta variant later this summer. I feel like by the time the vaccine will be approved for kids, I’ll be MORE than ready to sign her up.
Post by expectantsteelerfan on Jun 17, 2021 17:03:15 GMT -5
My ds turns 12 on 7/31, and we are going on his bday to get him his 1st dose. My dh, who is a doctor, surprised me by saying he thought we should leave the decision up to the kids if they felt comfortable getting it (dd is 9). I was like, um, we can ask them for their input on the decision, but at this age this is still our decision. I had asked dh if we should have any qualms about getting ds the hpv vaccine at his 11 year well-check, and he was like no, he gets it, end of story, so I was really surprised by him bringing this up. But it also seemed like he heard someone talk about how kids need to have agency of their own bodies and it was the 1st time he ever thought of that and bought into it without really thinking it through. My concession was asking the kids how they felt about getting the vaccine, and they both said they couldn't wait to get it, and when I asked why, they said because they know things won't go back to normal until everyone is vaccinated and they want that to happen. So yeah.
Post by penguingrrl on Jun 17, 2021 17:03:54 GMT -5
Yes, the minute I can. My 13 year old got dose 1 the day it was approved and is 2 weeks post dose 2 today (perfect timing since tonight is 8th grade graduation for them!). My 11 year old will go the day after her 12th birthday in July, my 8 year old will go the very first day he can as well. I have no hesitation, it’s the only way out of this pandemic and we all need to protect my husband since he’s immunocompromised and the vaccine won’t work on him right now.
100% will but really wish Moderna would be approved sooner than Pfizer for 5-12. My son has a history of anaphylaxis and the rate of anaphylaxis is higher with Pfizer than Moderna. It’s still very rare but I will take him to a hospital site, bring epi pens, and do a 30 min observation.
I plan to. I wanted DS to be vaccinated already (age 10), but if I lie about his age and he has a reaction then that would be pretty bad.
So anyway, I am glad they are testing a lower dose for his age group, so I am trying to patiently wait for that lower dose. I’m just not great at being patient.
Post by dreamcrisp1 on Jun 17, 2021 18:02:03 GMT -5
Yes, so long as his allergist gives the ok. By the time they even consider vaccinating kids here, I am confident we will have a lot of research and anecdotal evidence from the US so that’s reassuring enough to me. I really have no qualms about the vaccines. It’s new tech but nothing else is different, unless I’m wrong? From an allergy standpoint, I don’t see him having any issues as he’s been fine with MMR, tdap, chicken pox, etc. He hasn’t gotten a flu shot as they don’t do it here for kids though and I know that one can be challenging for allergy kids. So if his allergist approves the vaccine, then I have 0 issues. I think it’ll be a long time though before priority is given to kids for vaccines as the entire pandemic, they have not been considered a high transmission risk and minimal covid rules for them.
100% will but really wish Moderna would be approved sooner than Pfizer for 5-12. My son has a history of anaphylaxis and the rate of anaphylaxis is higher with Pfizer than Moderna. It’s still very rare but I will take him to a hospital site, bring epi pens, and do a 30 min observation.
If it helps, my DD also has a history of anaphylaxis. She got her first shot at a children’s hospital and waited 30 minutes. Because of scheduling issues she got her second shot at CVS and only waited 15 minutes. She had no reaction to either shot. She did great with both of them, and even had almost no symptoms after her second dose, just off and on headache and stomachache the next day, not even a sore arm. She’s 12.
She seems to be the only one in her group of friends who is vaccinated, though 2 of them are still 11.
DD wants to get her first dose on her (12th) birthday- we're on board with that, but I'd love to get it sooner (her birthday isn't until October). DS got his on the second day it was available to him, only because the decision was later in the day and we couldn't get an appointment anywhere close.