A decision to not see unvaccinated people
My family has been receiving pushback about its decision to not see (COVID) unvaccinated people after the Western Australian border opens. The pushback has ranged from polite “you’re crazy but I’m not going to say it” undertones, to threats. This has put us in the strange position of feeling like we are in the wrong and need to defend our decision. We made it primarily because we are worried about our (COVID) unvaccinated toddler and 6 month old baby. While the risks appear to be “low” for children, we feel obligated to take precautions until things are clearer. We’ve consequently been accused of discrimination and being ridiculous and “antiscience”. The sharp irony is that some of the strongest pushback has come from people who vigorously argue for their freedom to make their own medical decisions without being judged for them. Also, I don’t want my children (or parents) to get sick anytime soon, because healthcare staff and hospitals are likely about to be overwhelmed by predominantly unvaccinated people requiring COVID treatment. So, for anyone interested, or in a similar situation, see below some excerpts from information currently available that helps explain such a decision to err on the side of caution. I acknowledge there is contrary information out there and it is a rapidly changing area (as well as a difficult and sensitive one).
Mayo Clinic
COVID-19 (coronavirus) in babies and children
- Babies under age 1 might be at higher risk of severe illness with COVID-19 than older children. This is likely due to their immature immune systems and smaller airways, which make them more likely to develop breathing issues with respiratory virus infections.
CNN
From Europe to the US, Covid cases in children are surging. Schools aren't prepared - 11 January 2022
- While children have been less likely than adults to develop severe illness from Covid-19, they can still get very sick or die, or they could develop complications like life-threatening multisystem inflammatory syndrome and long Covid. Up to one in seven children and young people may have Covid-19 symptoms as many as 15 weeks after illness, a study by the UCL Great Ormond Street Hospital in central London found. According to the UK Office of National Statistics (ONS), 117,000 children in the UK are now living with long Covid.
The Conversation
No, vaccinated people are not ‘just as infectious’ as unvaccinated people if they get COVID - 18 November 2021
- Some recent studies have shown similar peak viral loads in vaccinated people compared to unvaccinated people who contract COVID. This has raised concerns for the efficacy of vaccines for preventing transmission. These studies only show a similar peak viral load, which is the highest amount of virus in the system over the course of the study.
- But vaccinated people clear the virus faster, with lower levels of virus overall, and have less time with very high levels of virus present…a vaccinated person is less likely to get COVID in the first instance, is less contagious, and is contagious for a shorter time, resulting in significantly less spread of the virus through a highly vaccinated community.
The Conversation
Your unvaccinated friend is roughly 20 times more likely to give you COVID - 28 October 2021
- Some people are wondering, why would a vaccinated person care about the vaccine status of another person? Briefly, it’s because vaccines reduce the probability of getting infected, which reduces the probability of a vaccinated person infecting someone else.
- Recent reports from the Victorian Department of Health find that unvaccinated people are ten times more likely to contract COVID than vaccinated people. We also know that vaccinated people are less likely to transmit the disease even if they become infected. The Doherty modelling from August puts the reduction at around 65%, although more recent research has suggested a lower estimate for AstraZeneca.
The Guardian
NSW warned to expect spike in Covid deaths as hospitalisations rise - 17 January 2022
- The New South Wales chief health officer has warned deaths from Covid-19 are likely to spike in the coming days, as hospitalisation data shows unvaccinated people with the virus are 13 times more likely to end up in intensive care.
- The NSW health minister, Brad Hazzard, again urged unvaccinated people to get the jab, saying they needed “to give a damn about someone other than themselves”. Hazzard cited hospitalisation data which showed unvaccinated people were six times more likely to end up in hospital with the Omicron variant, and 13 times more likely to end up in ICU.
- That figure was backed up by the latest NSW Covid surveillance report, which showed to 1 January the hospitalisation rate was 9.1% among cases aged 12 years and older with no vaccine dose, compared to 1.2% of people who had received two doses.
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1yThanks for sharing, Alex!
Senior Legal Counsel
3yAlex, I completely support your position. While vaccinating your kids with anything new brings pause for consideration, I am very pleased that all my kids are or vaccination age. As I remind my occasionally rebellious kids - my primary job is to keep them safe and healthy. That takes on a different frame in the current environment, but is just as applicable.