germanaviator

I'm wondering: What are everyone's thoughts on vaccinating healthy children under the age of 16?

Personally I think children with no relevant pre-existing conditions which would increase their risk of a getting a severe case of COVID, should probably not get the vaccine. Traditionally the idea seems to be that the risk of the disease needs to be significantly higher than the risks associated with getting the vaccine. Since severe cases in children are so rare I think it is not necessary to vaccinate children and expose them to whatever risks getting vaccinated may entail , almost regardless of how small those risks likely are. My view is those adults who want to get vaccinated should of course go ahead and get the shot(s) but should not expect children to get it to protect the adult population.

My wife and I are fully vaccinated but do nit intend to have our young child vaccinated against Covid. Our son did get all the other child vaccinations which are officially recommended here in Germany. The German authority in charge of vaccination does not currently recommend vaccinating healthy children against COVID, which I think makes sense. What ere your views?

rickair7777

Given what we know...

Girls get mRNA, boys get J&J (those three are authorized in the US). That dodges the rare adverse effects which are known to be gender associated.

There is a trend with new covid strains affecting young people more (and also covid-induced diabetes), so how soon for kids depends on their exposure risk. Home schooling in Casper, WY and spending summer break camping in Denali? Probably wait until they need to be more exposed. Going to Europe this summer? Yeah, gonna need it, I wouldn't cancel the European vacation over that.

Desdi

Yup, that knowledge is the benefit of waiting a bit.

Speed Select

Do you have a good source? Planning on Germany this fall, but kiddos need vaccination. Planned on waiting until J&J is approved for children (younger son is 5). J&J not safe for our daughters?

rickair7777

J&J has a very rare blood-clotting issue, seems to predominately affect youngish women. I don't think "young" extends to teenagers in this case but as long as other options exist, why not?

mRNA may be associated with, also very rare heart, inflamation syndromes in young men.

All three vaccines are still authorized and are likely to remain so, the side effects were so rare that they didn't even catch on until now. Since options exist, it doesn't hurt to use them but it wouldn't keep me from vaccinating kids either way. Kind of like it would be safer to home school kids than risk driving them to school every day... might get in an accident, and that's far more likely than vaccine adverse events. The adverse events also appear almost universally acute, ie you recover from it, with a tiny handful of blood-clot fatalities observed.

germanaviator

I don't think your kids will need to be vaccinated to travel to Germany. Those six years or older will need to be tested prior to departure. I'm pretty sure that's it. Also, if you fly Lufthansa your five year old will not have to wear a mask. Only six and older.

Flydafe

What is the point of vaccinating children from a virus that is not killing them in large number? If this virus was made in a lab maybe the governing bodies know more about it then we ever will. I suspect that the long term effects of these vaccines will start to manifest. I read the form we sign before getting the shot and it releases the government and pharma corporation from liability if something happens. It says the shot is voluntary...I get that but to pump out all of these vials of pharmaceuticals and not have any accountability is despicable.

BoilerUP

Same reason there’s a chickenpox vaccine for children?

Red Forman

Yeah, but the chickenpox vaccine isn’t being issued under an emergency authorization form the FDA.

BoilerUP

That’s a fair criticism.

Would full approval via Biologics license for those demographics alleviate those concerns?