THREAD on Child Vax:
Interviewed on @BBCNews about the JCVI decision not to vaccinate 12-15 year olds.
This was my initial reaction - that it was out of step with most other similar countries. And that they do not seem to have considered long covid at all. 1/6
@BBCNews I explained that many more kids would now get covid who didn't need to, causing more education disruption, more illness and more transmission. 2/6
I also said that it just wasn't good enough to say things were finely balanced - we needed to see evidence behind their decision. 3/6
At about the same time, JCVI did publish their reasoning. It is very very sparse. BUT they *do* find overall benefit in averted hospitalisations & ICU admissions!
(even if they don't show the working behind their calculations) 4/6
gov.uk/government/pub…
Myocarditis impact from covid is not considered BUT they assume 93 hospitalisations/million averted compared to between 12-34 cases of myocarditis from vaccines.
Long covid *isn't even mentioned*. Long term impacts of covid on the brain and other organs *are not mentioned*. 5/6
Finally, I don't think this is transparent enough to support such an outlier decision. They published / cited far more careful analysis in determining their original vaccine priority groups and delaying the 2nd dose (both decisions I supported). They must do that now too. 6/6
PS Please listen to Meir Ruben who advises Israeli government talking today about the really high number of infections in kids there right now. And *pleading* with govts to vaccinate their children.
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