The above statement is from the United Kingdom’s vaccine advisory group and has been posted on the government’s website. It’s confirmed something that has been expected for weeks—that the UK, a country with a high overall percentage COVID vaccine uptake–does not yet want to proceed with a widespread COVID-19 vaccination program in under-18s. They are only advising children with pre-existing conditions or any other concerning risk factor, be vaccinated. This is similar to the current recommendations in Germany.
Many UK government advisors and scientists have cited the true risk/benefit profile of COVID vaccines in a low-risk group such as children, and worries over side-effects. We have seen over the last few weeks, concerns arise in the United States about the risk of myocarditis and pericarditis. Last month, the CDC reported a total of almost 1300 known cases, with a disproportionate amount occurring in male adolescents. There were over 300 hospitalizations because of this.
Given this development (the original reports came from Israel) many countries including the United Kingdom, want more data and time before making such a monumental decision. Personally, I agree with the UK government taking its time here, and proceeding with caution when an issue like this involves children. I have been following the news closely in the United Kingdom for the last few weeks, and applaud the level of open debate that has taken place there. There have been a number of media articles debating whether “children are better off catching COVID naturally than taking a jab” (see here) and an article in the major national medical journal, the BMJ, that intensely debated this issue. One of the signatories to the No (don’t vaccinate children) group, is Baroness Finlay. I can certainly vouch for her, as a respected physician who was very high up administratively in the medical school I went to!
I could not have imagined such robust open debate on this issue happening in the United States, I must say.
Suneel Dhand is a physician, writer, and YouTuber. He is Founder at MedStoic Lifestyle Medicine and DocsDox . Follow him on YouTube and Facebook.