Child vaccine trials poll

[tcufrog]

Some of the vaccine companies are starting COVID vaccine trials on children. If you could sign up your child(ren) for one would you? Why or why not?

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Nope. Imho it’s too soon to try this experimental vaccine using mRNA technology on kids who aren’t even generally at risk for poor Covid outcomes. The elderly are the group that’s mainly at risk, so the focus should be there.

My kids are healthy with no risk factors, so we take reasonable precautions (like in a flu season), but I won’t offer my kids as guinea pigs. If a vaccine is approved for their age they won’t get it bc I see the stats and see no need for it.

I totally respect that others can feel differently. And I really hope the vaccine people are getting now works great for them.

 

[Katiebird]

Absolutely. We have a trial center near us and I discussed volunteering with my 14 year old. She was very interested but is very shy and didn’t want to have to talk to the trial people, so decided not to (I was disappointed but respect her decision). I would have the same discussion with my 10 year old if he was eligible, although he’s not great at describing symptoms (everything is my head or stomach hurts) so he may not be the best test subject.

 

[godisney14]

A definitely intriguing subject. I could see this going either way with most people. I want to assume most who are wanting a vaccine and don’t care whether it’s the mRNA version would opt their kids into it.

 

[seashoreCM]

Hard decision. I don't like the idea of being a guinea pig receiving concoctions or injections.

Also there is a one in four chance you will get a placebo -- a treatment that looks the same, feels the same at first, but does nothing.

I suppose that there is an incentive to volunteer such as front of the line privilege to get vaccinated at the end of the test if you got the placebo or if the new vaccine was judged a failure.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

I would want to, but DH might not agree.

My kids are having a hard time with the isolation and are frequently breaking physical distancing "rules". I'd like to give them a chance to be protected because it would give me peace of mind about them going back to school. I've been letting them participate in sports - year round swimming, outdoors in summer, indoors fall/winter/spring. I'm constantly worried they've picked up covid every time one of them gets chlorine sniffles.

And I really want to protect DH (late 50s), babysitter (mid 60s), babysitter's husband (late 60s) and grandparents (early 70s) from my disgusting kids.

 

[Minnesota!]

I would leave it up to my kid. They are both old enough to understand the risks and benefits.

 

[wenrob]

I chose “other.” Following the vaccine threads here and reading whatever I can get my hands on about it I would be okay with it. My DH would be a tougher sell. My two at home are 15 and my DD said to me the other day that she wanted to be vaccinated on her 16th birthday. We discuss these things as a family so he would take that into consideration.

Personally I would like to see my kids vaccinated before me. Any crud that’s gone through this house has come from school. In my experience with older DD high school and college were worse than the grade school years. I feel that’s driven by the “I can’t miss this class/exam” mentality. Anyway, my thought is that if my kids are protected then I’m somewhat protected. Aside from not being able to wander around Target, the occasional dinner out and no vacations my life hasn’t changed that much. My kids need to get back to having a life.

 

[kdonnel]

How much are they paying?

My kids are now adults but I imagine many could be swayed with a large enough pay day.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I would need to know more about it. We know the vaccine works so are they doing efficacy trials, or dosage and safety trials? And are they doing phases? I would be more willing to do it in a second or third phase.

 

[mom2rtk]

I honestly don't know what I would do. My kids are adults, with the youngest on a major college campus. So she'll get one as soon as she's able.

I can see an awful lot of parents deciding to hold off. I sure hope return to normal school doesn't end up tied to the rate of child vaccinations.

 

[Colleen27]

Nope. If my older daughter were still the right age, I probably would have considered it, but I only have one under-18 child now and she'd make a terrible research subject. She's my most high strung to begin with and has been so anxious and unsettled this past year between the pandemic, puberty, and middle school girl drama that she makes herself physically ill over minor worries, so asking her to self-report anything health related is difficult territory. I don't have any problem with her getting the vaccine once it is approved for her age group, but asking her to be part of a study is a headache that neither of us need on top of everything else going on.

 

[kanerf]

No need for child trials until the majority of the adult population is vaccinated. We do not have the available doses right now to include children and they are only marginally affected by this virus.

 

[Colleen27]

No need for child trials until the majority of the adult population is vaccinated. We do not have the available doses right now to include children and they are only marginally affected by this virus.

Since trials take many months, it doesn't make sense to delay them. By most projections we'll have enough available doses for anyone who wants to be vaccinated somewhere near the middle/end of this year... which is just about when a trial started now would be presenting data for approval on additional age groups. So the timing is actually perfect, if the goal is to be able to start vaccinating under-18s just as the adult vaccination program winds down.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Nope. My son is almost 21 and can decide for himself but no way for my 15 year old.

 

[Katiebird]

No need for child trials until the majority of the adult population is vaccinated. We do not have the available doses right now to include children and they are only marginally affected by this virus.

It takes time to run a trial and get results from it, especially now that cases are decreasing. By the time they get results, there will likely be supply to vaccinate this group.

 

[MamaMermaid]

Hard no. He's 3 so he isn't a target of the new studies anyways but even if was, no. We will get the vaccine but I don't want him to be a guinea pig.

 

[hulagirl87]

I say no. DD has type 1 diabetes and I would be concerned with how the vaccine might affect her.

 

[lifesavacation]

I voted yes for my 17 year old. She’s not eligible, though, for the Moderna study due to an underlying condition (subglottic stenosis). She’ll be eligible for the Pfizer vaccine in Wa’s next phase.

 

[DLgal]

I did sign up for my 14 year old. I didn't hear back, but we also live an hour and a half from the clinic so maybe they thought that was too far.