The Mirror's Polly Hudson and Darren Lewis answer the question - would you let your children have the Covid-19 vaccine?
Yes - says Polly Hudson.
Whenever the official ‘Freedom Day’ ends up being, I know the only time I’ll consider this nightmare over is when my son is vaccinated.
Then, and only then, will I will finally breathe a huge sigh of relief, and stop being frightened of Coronavirus.
I’ve gratefully accepted every vaccine he’s been offered over the last six years, and feel very lucky that the reality of him receiving one against Covid is even a possibility in the near future.
I’m so thankful to the parents of the children who have taken part in the clinical trials which mean we’re at this point, what an incredible thing to do for humanity.
Would you get your child vaccinated? Let us know in the comment section
Young children have so far mostly only had Coronavirus mildly, but as we’ve seen time and time again, this nasty virus is constantly mutating and working out different ways to hurt us.
Who knows what it might do next?
Plus even if kids aren’t that ill with the actual disease, there are many cases of them having debilitating Long Covid, for which there is currently no cure.
I seriously cannot imagine a reason I would take any chance with my child’s health, wellbeing and happiness if there was an option not to.
So the moment these vaccines are approved, and my son is invited to have one, we will be first in the queue.
I cannot wait for the peace of mind it will bring, for the whole family, to no longer have to worry about Covid.
That truly will be Freedom Day, for us.
No - says Darren Lewis
As adults the importance of safeguarding ourselves is well documented.
Mercifully, the public is listening and taking the appropriate action.
But the risk from the virus to children, especially pre-teens, is low and so, as things stand, I’d be against jabbing them. I‘ve always been a little uncomfortable with it, ever since the idea was first mooted.
Professor Adam Finn, who sits on the government’s Covid vaccine advisory body, has already made clear his belief that we can protect the country without vaccinating children.
He makes a good point. Especially when he points out that it is an invasive thing to do, costs money and could produce side effects.
Schools are staggering start times (before the kids all pile onto the bus together at the end of the day to render the practice meaningless). There has been so much more testing in schools and lots of work done to raise awareness.
They are doing their bit to help protect our kids.
We already know that young children are statistically very unlikely to fall ill with Covid. The data has already shown that ‘they are not very infectious to each other or adults around them’.
So I’d take a watching brief on it for now. My own view on the need for adults to protect themselves, especially in the black community, is well documented.
They are the priority. There are still so many adults still at risk of sickness and death. Let’s focus on them instead of turning to the kids.
