Preschools mandating COVID vaccines

[Anonymous]

I’m OP and pretty upset at the deleting of posts. Nothing controversial about taking a nuanced view of a brand new vaccine for children. I really wanted to hear opinions from other parents in the area and now I’m unable to. Thanks DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Ours in VA is mandating vaccines. First shot has to be done by August. So grateful; I would only choose a preschool with a vaccine mandate.

[Anonymous]

I don’t see what’s there to discuss. If it doesn’t work for you (it wouldn’t for me) you change the schools.
I held my kid back from a summer program at on private school premises because of the mandate there.

[Anonymous]

I’ve vaccinated my kids, but it’s only to avoid the draconian quarantine policies. It’s become abundantly clear by now that the best we can hope for from these vaccines is reduced disease severity. They are not stopping transmission. Not even sure they are slowing it at this point.

If parents of unvaxxed kids can accept the risk that their kid might be one of the sub-1,000 that gets sick or dies in a given year from not being vaxxed, then I don’t see why a preschool should be mandating otherwise. It’s not like the other mandated vaccines we have that prevent disease/transmission.

At the same time, it’s well past time to start treating COVID for the annoyance that it is. If you are so vulnerable to COVID that it could kill you after multiple vaccines and boosters, you probably fall in the camp where lots of diseases are deadly to you. Preschool/daycare, whether working there or sending your kid there, is just not a safe option for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve vaccinated my kids, but it’s only to avoid the draconian quarantine policies. It’s become abundantly clear by now that the best we can hope for from these vaccines is reduced disease severity. They are not stopping transmission. Not even sure they are slowing it at this point.

If parents of unvaxxed kids can accept the risk that their kid might be one of the sub-1,000 that gets sick or dies in a given year from not being vaxxed, then I don’t see why a preschool should be mandating otherwise. It’s not like the other mandated vaccines we have that prevent disease/transmission.

At the same time, it’s well past time to start treating COVID for the annoyance that it is. If you are so vulnerable to COVID that it could kill you after multiple vaccines and boosters, you probably fall in the camp where lots of diseases are deadly to you. Preschool/daycare, whether working there or sending your kid there, is just not a safe option for you.

well … the covid vax actually is about equally as effective as other required vaccines (eg rotavirus). I think the bigger problem is that it is still under emergency use authorization and typically it takes much longer to phase in a required vaccine. As well, the preschools mandating vaccines right away often have other covid policies that burden kids and families uneccesarily, like quarantines and masking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t see what’s there to discuss. If it doesn’t work for you (it wouldn’t for me) you change the schools.
I held my kid back from a summer program at on private school premises because of the mandate there.

DP. Not all of us have access to an easy alternative. It’s hard enough to get a spot in daycare in DC. My child is older so this is more about camp and school - and there are very few camps that work for him, and I can’t have him excluded from school due to vaccination status. So, I have no choice. Current camp just announced that 5-11s also have to be boosted and that really pisses me off. We were not convinced about boosters and wanted to wait until the fall when there’s a covid wave anticipation, and the omicron versions might be available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t see what’s there to discuss. If it doesn’t work for you (it wouldn’t for me) you change the schools.
I held my kid back from a summer program at on private school premises because of the mandate there.

DP. Not all of us have access to an easy alternative. It’s hard enough to get a spot in daycare in DC. My child is older so this is more about camp and school - and there are very few camps that work for him, and I can’t have him excluded from school due to vaccination status. So, I have no choice. Current camp just announced that 5-11s also have to be boosted and that really pisses me off. We were not convinced about boosters and wanted to wait until the fall when there’s a covid wave anticipation, and the omicron versions might be available.

This is insane!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve vaccinated my kids, but it’s only to avoid the draconian quarantine policies. It’s become abundantly clear by now that the best we can hope for from these vaccines is reduced disease severity. They are not stopping transmission. Not even sure they are slowing it at this point.

If parents of unvaxxed kids can accept the risk that their kid might be one of the sub-1,000 that gets sick or dies in a given year from not being vaxxed, then I don’t see why a preschool should be mandating otherwise. It’s not like the other mandated vaccines we have that prevent disease/transmission.

At the same time, it’s well past time to start treating COVID for the annoyance that it is. If you are so vulnerable to COVID that it could kill you after multiple vaccines and boosters, you probably fall in the camp where lots of diseases are deadly to you. Preschool/daycare, whether working there or sending your kid there, is just not a safe option for you.

well … the covid vax actually is about equally as effective as other required vaccines (eg rotavirus). I think the bigger problem is that it is still under emergency use authorization and typically it takes much longer to phase in a required vaccine. As well, the preschools mandating vaccines right away often have other covid policies that burden kids and families uneccesarily, like quarantines and masking.

Not sure the data bears that out. One study put effectiveness against lab-confirmed rotovirus infection at a minimum of 60%, with effectiveness much higher in many places (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30262-X/fulltext)

Early data on the vaccines post-Omicron is pretty scanty, but I assume they are just as effective against infection as the adult versions, which is to say not very. I’ll grant you that they are keeping people out of the hospital, but I’m on my second infection post-booster while living a generally cautious, WFH life.

[Anonymous]

No ours is not

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m OP and pretty upset at the deleting of posts. Nothing controversial about taking a nuanced view of a brand new vaccine for children. I really wanted to hear opinions from other parents in the area and now I’m unable to. Thanks DCUM.

My post was deleted as well. Weak sauce. Also just hardens my view that the kids vaccine is unsafe because any discussion about it is erased.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve vaccinated my kids, but it’s only to avoid the draconian quarantine policies. It’s become abundantly clear by now that the best we can hope for from these vaccines is reduced disease severity. They are not stopping transmission. Not even sure they are slowing it at this point.

If parents of unvaxxed kids can accept the risk that their kid might be one of the sub-1,000 that gets sick or dies in a given year from not being vaxxed, then I don’t see why a preschool should be mandating otherwise. It’s not like the other mandated vaccines we have that prevent disease/transmission.

At the same time, it’s well past time to start treating COVID for the annoyance that it is. If you are so vulnerable to COVID that it could kill you after multiple vaccines and boosters, you probably fall in the camp where lots of diseases are deadly to you. Preschool/daycare, whether working there or sending your kid there, is just not a safe option for you.

well … the covid vax actually is about equally as effective as other required vaccines (eg rotavirus). I think the bigger problem is that it is still under emergency use authorization and typically it takes much longer to phase in a required vaccine. As well, the preschools mandating vaccines right away often have other covid policies that burden kids and families uneccesarily, like quarantines and masking.

Not sure the data bears that out. One study put effectiveness against lab-confirmed rotovirus infection at a minimum of 60%, with effectiveness much higher in many places (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30262-X/fulltext)

Early data on the vaccines post-Omicron is pretty scanty, but I assume they are just as effective against infection as the adult versions, which is to say not very. I’ll grant you that they are keeping people out of the hospital, but I’m on my second infection post-booster while living a generally cautious, WFH life.

effectiveness on reducing hospitalization & death. rotavirus is less risky than covid as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t see what’s there to discuss. If it doesn’t work for you (it wouldn’t for me) you change the schools.
I held my kid back from a summer program at on private school premises because of the mandate there.

DP. Not all of us have access to an easy alternative. It’s hard enough to get a spot in daycare in DC. My child is older so this is more about camp and school - and there are very few camps that work for him, and I can’t have him excluded from school due to vaccination status. So, I have no choice. Current camp just announced that 5-11s also have to be boosted and that really pisses me off. We were not convinced about boosters and wanted to wait until the fall when there’s a covid wave anticipation, and the omicron versions might be available.

This is insane!!

I think a lot of camps and other childcare that cater to the blue-city highly educated demographic are clinging to covid maximalism because they assume that’s what parents want, and they know that the covid zero parents will scream louder and have the ideological upper hand. Also they have no incentive to stay open - they get their $$ even if they make your kid quarantine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m OP and pretty upset at the deleting of posts. Nothing controversial about taking a nuanced view of a brand new vaccine for children. I really wanted to hear opinions from other parents in the area and now I’m unable to. Thanks DCUM.

My post was deleted as well. Weak sauce. Also just hardens my view that the kids vaccine is unsafe because any discussion about it is erased.

+1 I don't know exactly what the goal of deleting posts is, but when used this much it does actually harden people's views. Same thing happens when discussing masking of toddlers, yet it's not at all an extreme position to oppose masking young kids given that the WHO itself is against it.

As for vaccines, the members of the VRBPAC themselves emphasized the importance of giving parents a choice as to whether or not to vaccinate their kids. Preschool mandates go directly against the guidance of the experts tasked with deciding whether to approve the vaccines in the first place:

And nearly all of the committee members, which includes pediatricians, infectious disease doctors and vaccine experts, mentioned during the discussion that the decision for parents to vaccinate children in this age group should be a choice.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-panel-endorses-covid-vaccine-youngest-children-rcna33683

[Anonymous]

So DCUM is deleting posts that ask questions about the wisdom of vaxing very young children? That's awful! My fam is all vaxxed, but I personally wouldn't vax a toddler for covid, neither would I criticize anyone who who chose that option. To each their own. Its a lot like other medical decisions that are now being restricted. Why ok in one area but not others? Silencing reasonable discussion is abhorent. I guess this post will get deleted. I can't understand the desire to silence and control people. I agree with PP that silencing people just leads to entrenchment. Our country is falling apart - and I believe ultimately will collapse - because there are almost no moderate politicians anymore. The closed silos of both parties is horrific to me. And now so many people do the same thing in their personal life and refuse to speak or interact with anyone who thinks differently than they do. Aren't we all supposed to value diversity? I l love diversity, whether race, religion, or politics. It's how we learn from each other. I can't imagine only being around clones of myself. How boring! Shutting off dissenting opinions is truly sophomoric. And sad. Especially about something that actual MDs disagree about. Ask me how I know... If you have to shut down opposing positions on anything, it means you have a weak case. Make better arguments. Prove your case. The closed mindedness of people these days is just so heartbreaking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So DCUM is deleting posts that ask questions about the wisdom of vaxing very young children? That's awful! My fam is all vaxxed, but I personally wouldn't vax a toddler for covid, neither would I criticize anyone who who chose that option. To each their own. Its a lot like other medical decisions that are now being restricted. Why ok in one area but not others? Silencing reasonable discussion is abhorent. I guess this post will get deleted. I can't understand the desire to silence and control people. I agree with PP that silencing people just leads to entrenchment. Our country is falling apart - and I believe ultimately will collapse - because there are almost no moderate politicians anymore. The closed silos of both parties is horrific to me. And now so many people do the same thing in their personal life and refuse to speak or interact with anyone who thinks differently than they do. Aren't we all supposed to value diversity? I l love diversity, whether race, religion, or politics. It's how we learn from each other. I can't imagine only being around clones of myself. How boring! Shutting off dissenting opinions is truly sophomoric. And sad. Especially about something that actual MDs disagree about. Ask me how I know... If you have to shut down opposing positions on anything, it means you have a weak case. Make better arguments. Prove your case. The closed mindedness of people these days is just so heartbreaking.

Our country is falling apart because conservatives elected Trump president. The rest of us aren’t to blame, sorry not sorry.