Associate Professor and Virologist at the University of Leeds
This needs urgent resolution and I am obviously in favour of vaccinating kids. A reminder of why.
1. Kids are not invulnerable to COVID. We saw record paediatric admissions this week. See threads from @jneill and @ProfColinDavis2.
See Guardian article
3. We are already at high levels of infection, this is set to go much higher. Even a small % of a massive number is a BIG number.
4. Vaccines are MHRA approved for 12+ in the UK. Trials support they are incredibly efficacious and SAFE.
5. Other countries are, successfully.
6. Whether they begin or propagate outbreaks/transmission, schools are a big problem and current bubbles are too big, causing immense disruption, especially since masks were arbitrarily dropped. Ignoring infection is plain stupid, so let's prevent it! (Source: https://threader.app/thread/1416303348001673219)
7. Some have suggested that infections should be allowed to pass through children, rendering them immune following natural infection. This is utterly irresponsible. You're putting kids in the way of avoidable harm, and resultant immunity is vastly inferior to vaccines.
8. Even the original virus was a risk to young people, we simply don't know enough about Delta. As posted recently by @GYamey, there are some horrific outbreaks in the US in children.
9. Some have criticised the notion of vaccines in children just serving the old/vulnerable. This is a major facet of vaccine (Source: https://threader.app/thread/1416303348001673219) programmes. They protect at the individual level, which we (may) top up with boosters for vulnerable/older folks. BUT, like masks, vaccines are also ALTRUISTIC. If you render your population less susceptible, R(t) will fall, ideally below 1, outbreaks become self-limiting.
10. This concept is what's referred to as herd/population immunity. This is harder to achieve the more transmissible the virus is, as recently nicely explained by @AdamJKucharski
11. However, vaccines don't necessarily have to work alone, sensible (NOT lockdowns!) measures can work alongside to help bring R(t) down. Israel has done this successfully.
12. Of course, we'll never approach this without including under 18s. Adults alone aren't enough.
13. Lastly, as discussed in a letter to @FT and our online event hosted by @allthecitizens the UK (Source: https://threader.app/thread/1416303348001673219) policy represents a danger on a global scale. Unlikely as it is that a variant might evolve that eludes much of the protection afforded by vaccines, mass infection in the face of partial vaccination is exactly the crucible in which it might. Even a step down this road could cause us major issues, as the need for double vaccines to counter Delta has shown.
14. We already exported alpha, our ludicrous border policy now makes us the Delta distribution hub. We are well equipped to avoid this, and we owe it to everyone to try altruism is key during a pandemic.
15. So, I urge the government to listen, to vaccinate teens over summer to ensure a safe return to school and University in the autumn. This is your duty of care. Otherwise I fear what might evolve on our shores, as @ArisKatzourakis eloquently describes.
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