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Pfizer for teens?
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NVintage
Posts: 1,463 Member
I hope this doesn't get deleted for being political. It is a subject of health and fitness, though! Do you all think that the risks of covid outweigh the risks of adverse reactions to vaccine in pre-teens and teenagers? Is it worth it for healthy kids to be vaccinated?
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Replies
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Short answer - approval of health authority in your country is synonym of YES said by highly educated ppl in that area.
Long answer. You have to take into account that young ppl can spread virus (and die or have serious consequences too) , the more is covid spread the higher risk for mutations that can weaken or devalue current vaccination, there are also ppl that cannot be vaccinated. Currently the focus is to vaccinate ppl under highest risk but the overall goal is to vaccinate as much ppl as possible to stop the spread of virus and lower the risk of new mutations.
(sorry for my english, hope you will understand)40 -
Those are really good answers. Especially the short answer! I'd like to say I worry more about the population, as a whole, but I'd choose my daughter's health over anyone else's, being honest...It was really easy for me to decide to get vaccinated myself, but I'm having more trouble deciding for her. The main thing that's pushing me toward vaccination is her mental health, that she'll be more comfortable getting back to normal activities without worrying about getting sick and getting anyone else sick. (Your English is actually better than most people in my area of the US, haha. Thank you!!)Short answer - approval of health authority in your country is synonym of YES said by highly educated ppl in that area.
Long answer. You have to take into account that young ppl can spread virus (and die or have serious consequences too) , the more is covid spread the higher risk for mutations that can weaken or devalue current vaccination, there are also ppl that cannot be vaccinated. Currently the focus is to vaccinate ppl under highest risk but the overall goal is to vaccinate as much ppl as possible to stop the spread of virus and lower the risk of new mutations.
(sorry for my english, hope you will understand)
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My 15-year old niece got her first dose yesterday. She was very eager to get started on the path to resuming a more normal life.
It was not a tough decision for her parents. While she is at minimal risk for serious complications if she contracts Covid, they worried about her passing the virus along to more vulnerable people, including a family member who is so immunocompromised, he is unable to get the vaccine right now.15 -
I understand you worries, every parent who is up to his child asks the same question esp. under desinformations spread by lot of ppl we face (not acctual in my country, I get my first shot on tuesday, I am 41)
The authority you should discuss your worries is your doctor or let your child discuss it and make the decision.
I can give you only some hints
There is still risk for children to die from covid
https://idpjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40249-020-00785-1
Still much higher than risk from vaccination
There is also risk of serious consequences
There are pharmaceutical our children take, took and will take. We dont analyse possible consequences nor we read clinical studies/observations to find dead rate/risk (maybe much higher than for mrna/vector covid vaccines) . We just trust authorities. The question is why is this vaccine something special for us. (my answer lies in first lines of this post)9 -
Not me! I researched vaccinations for the whole 9 months I was pregnant trying decide what to do! It's funny, for me( having been an Anthropology major in college) that I do tend to trust the authorities, like my Irish- American dad, when it comes to my own health. However, when it comes to my daughter I am more like my mom's Cherokee- Shawnee family and question whether what they are telling us is just for monetary profit...17
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Based on the numbers, I believe it's fine. I would only be worried about teens that may have existing health issues as a precaution to consider it. My DD is getting her 2nd shot tomorrow. I got mine today about 5 hours ago and feel fine.
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Thanks! It's good to hear some rational opinions.2
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Absolutely. Just like with adults there are negligible side effects and incredible protection against the virus.12
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I do not understand why people seem more concerned about unproven possible adverse effects of the vaccine (aside fro minor reaction) than they are about proven long term Effects of covid. I’m Not saying that’s you. I just don’t Understand that common argument.31
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That's a good point! I was worried about the vaccine maybe having worse side effects for teens, and maybe long term consequences with them going through puberty and all. I was looking into statistics from Israel and my age group (especially those with comorbidities) had the most bad side effects from the vaccine and it was still like a one in a million chance for it to be a serious one, I think..1
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I do not understand why people seem more concerned about unproven possible adverse effects of the vaccine (aside fro minor reaction) than they are about proven long term Effects of covid. I’m Not saying that’s you. I just don’t Understand that common argument.
Yes exactly. Also, there hasn’t been a vaccine in history with a statistically significant level of harmful side effects. No negative effects on fertility, etc. The fear makes zero sense to me. But then, I read research articles....8 -
There were cases(like cutter incident in US)esp. in beginning of mass vaccination but in response to these problems validation process was improved and also technology. Most of that cases were about contamination or failed inactivation of viruses(but mRNA vaccine is not based on deactivated viruses nor a deactivated virus as a carrier)
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In the UK they’re starting to think that the Indian variant of Covid could be more infectious for the younger generations - but they don’t know if it is more dangerous at this stage. Given that “long COVID” can affect anyone and have a really detrimental effect on schooling etc, then I would personally vote for it. I’m certainly not a teenager but I’ve had my first Pfizer jab 😀6
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Short answer - approval of health authority in your country is synonym of YES said by highly educated ppl in that area.
Long answer. You have to take into account that young ppl can spread virus (and die or have serious consequences too) , the more is covid spread the higher risk for mutations that can weaken or devalue current vaccination, there are also ppl that cannot be vaccinated. Currently the focus is to vaccinate ppl under highest risk but the overall goal is to vaccinate as much ppl as possible to stop the spread of virus and lower the risk of new mutations.
(sorry for my english, hope you will understand)
Love this answer. My children will get the vaccine as soon as it's open to them (they are 7 and 9). While it's unlikely they will get seriously ill from COVID, allowing to spread among children increases the chances of variants that could evade the current vaccine. There is also the chance they could spread it to someone at high risk. I couldn't live with that and I don't think they could either. I've spoken at length with my two and they have decided for themselves that they will get it when offered.
My only concern is that it's likely adults will be due for a booster for whatever variant is dominant at the time when the younger kids will be getting their first doses. But, it won't deter us from getting that first dose for them.5 -
I feel fortunate to be able to understand both points of view. I know that a lot of people are not getting it because of misinformation, but for others it's really a cultural thing and maybe legitimate reasons to be skeptical passed down from previous generations. Sometimes quite rational, believe it or not! My grandmother who was of Native American, English, and Swiss Mennonite ancestry came up with some pretty good answers not to take any medicines (even when she was diagnosed with diabetes) and she lived til she was 86! I tend to relate to the other side of my family, though, who sees this as just craziness...I do not understand why people seem more concerned about unproven possible adverse effects of the vaccine (aside fro minor reaction) than they are about proven long term Effects of covid. I’m Not saying that’s you. I just don’t Understand that common argument.
Yes exactly. Also, there hasn’t been a vaccine in history with a statistically significant level of harmful side effects. No negative effects on fertility, etc. The fear makes zero sense to me. But then, I read research articles....
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I feel fortunate to be able to understand both points of view. I know that a lot of people are not getting it because of misinformation, but for others it's really a cultural thing and maybe legitimate reasons to be skeptical passed down from previous generations. Sometimes quite rational, believe it or not! My grandmother who was of Native American, English, and Swiss Mennonite ancestry came up with some pretty good answers not to take any medicines (even when she was diagnosed with diabetes) and she lived til she was 86! I tend to relate to the other side of my family, though, who sees this as just craziness..
The distrust of your grandmother has maybe roots in "white man medicine".
What has most cultures in common is reverence to life. Giving trust to all different medical scientists behind research, validation and approval of covid vaccines is expression of it.(many of them working day and night, not a kind of cheap glorification but truth) It's not a kind of "white man medicine".
My grandfather lived almost as long as your granny. He was hard smoker since childhood. So, is this one experience enought to make a conclusion that doctors are not true about danger of smoking? The truth is that he could lost 10 years becase he had clogged vessel (only serious diseasse he faced) and modern medicine gave him additional 10 years of life.
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I agree 100%, and I am planning to schedule my daughter's vaccination when I go in for my second one! I was just responded to those that said that they don't understand the fear and hesitancy, and just saying that I can understand it. It is frustrating, but there are some people that don't want to be vaccinated because of a different religion or concept of health or healing, and that is their right...not always just because of misinformation or distrust. Natives have a lot of historical reasons to distrust the government, but I remember reading that some Shawnees from Ohio, refused to agree to remove to Indian territory without having smallpox vaccine protection in the 1830s! I actually think my grandmother's odd beliefs came from our Mennonite ancestors. As far as I can speculate, to her it contradicted faith or spiritual based healing.?:/ I think with my mom, it might be more a distrust of the medicine and fear of side effects, though.I feel fortunate to be able to understand both points of view. I know that a lot of people are not getting it because of misinformation, but for others it's really a cultural thing and maybe legitimate reasons to be skeptical passed down from previous generations. Sometimes quite rational, believe it or not! My grandmother who was of Native American, English, and Swiss Mennonite ancestry came up with some pretty good answers not to take any medicines (even when she was diagnosed with diabetes) and she lived til she was 86! I tend to relate to the other side of my family, though, who sees this as just craziness..
The distrust of your grandmother has maybe roots in "white man medicine".
What has most cultures in common is reverence to life. Giving trust to all different medical scientists behind research, validation and approval of covid vaccines is expression of it.(many of them working day and night, not a kind of cheap glorification but truth) It's not a kind of "white man medicine".
My grandfather lived almost as long as your granny. He was hard smoker since childhood. So, is this one experience enought to make a conclusion that doctors are not true about danger of smoking? The truth is that he could lost 10 years becase he had clogged vessel (only serious diseasse he faced) and modern medicine gave him additional 10 years of life.
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I don’t understand the fear because there is no research or evidence that shows any statistically significant harm. I have heard many reasonings from different people of different backgrounds on why they are skeptical but none of them are based on science. I’m a scientist and a medical provider so I don’t really understand potentially putting yourself and others at risk for harm due to irrational fears.10
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I know it is frustrating for medical providers! I probably drove my daughter's pediatrician crazy with my nervousness about vaccines. I love science, but I usually start out at least skeptical, if not fearful. Then I reprimand myself for being silly, haha.4
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I know it is frustrating for medical providers! I probably drove my daughter's pediatrician crazy with my nervousness about vaccines. I love science, but I usually start out at least skeptical, if not fearful. Then I reprimand myself for being silly, haha.
Awwwww. Well when patients come to me with questions I try to give them facts as opposed to my opinion. For example, a lot of patients were coming in recently afraid of getting a blood clot from the vaccine but when I informed them that the risk was 1-2 in a million which was the same or lower than in the general population, many were reassured.4
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