How did mass vaccination of our children become a solution to the COVID-19 situation?
In a recent study of 11 countries, the survival rate in 0-18 year-olds was 99.9973 per cent (36,999 of 37,000 survived COVID-19). This included children with comorbidities. In healthy children under 10 years of age, the survival rate is effectively 100 per cent.
Even if children did spread the virus, the vast majority of people (those under 65 with no underlying health issues) can take this virus in stride. In fact, many have no symptoms at all.
Our own Alberta website puts the average age of death from COVID-19 at 78 years. And yet we have steadily moved the vaccination age lower and lower.
I might be convinced that the elderly and health-compromised might benefit from the vaccine, but the rest of us?
Where are the public health pamphlets and billboards and newspaper ads and sound bites giving information on building good health by eating nutrient-dense food, drinking untainted water, spending time in nature, exercising, laughing and hugging the people we love? I know. That last one is pretty radical considering the constant message to distance ourselves from each other.
Why are proven drug treatments withheld and vitamin supplementation ignored?
Why is the vaccine, whose protection runs out in a few months time, heralded as the saviour while natural immunity is not even considered?
Why are we vaccinating children when COVID poses virtually no risk to them compared to the under-studied vaccines poised to 'save' them?
Or is it us they're saving?
Have our children become the sacrifices we're willing to make in order to mitigate our own fears?
Tough questions, I know. Questions I started asking myself once I got past the initial fear that gripped me 22 months ago. Slowly, I started asking them of people around me. I discovered I'm not the only one thinking them but another kind of fear - of being thought less of by people I care about - kept me silent. Until now.
To date, COVID-19 has not harmed our children. These vaccines surely will. They already have irreparably harmed countless people, including teenagers and young adults who were also at minimal risk of death by COVID.
It finally came time for me to speak out. How about you?
Maxine Spence,
Didsbury
