Image Credit: CDC

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Parents have a decision to make on vaccinating their young kids

Nov 24, 2021 | 6:30 AM

A NEW FRONT has been opened in the war against COVID-19, and a new insurgency is already fomenting.

Parents and guardians who have registered their five- to 11-year-old kids with Get Vaccinated will begin receiving invitations this coming Monday to book appointments. Latest stats show 90,000 have already been registered, and 350,000 in total will be eligible.

To those who oppose vaccinations, this is just the latest piece in the plot to take away our freedoms and force “experimental” vaccines upon us.

“Call me a bad parent but I won’t be forced to vaccinate my five-year-old child,” declared one parent. “Leave our babies alone,” urged another.

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Others are concerned about children being given the vaccine without the parents providing their consent or even knowing about it. This seems to result from a HealthLink BC page that says children may be given a vaccine without parental permission if a healthcare giver is convinced the vaccine is in the child’s best interests and the child is capable of “mature minor consent.”

The age at which such consent becomes possible isn’t stated.

Regardless of what HealthLink BC says, under the new program, parents will have to give verbal permission if they accompany their child to a clinic, or send written permission if the child is alone. From this we can conclude that Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix have decided to protect the rights of parents to be part of the decision.

Henry also pointed out yesterday that, while almost no children have died from COVID, those who are vaccinated are much less likely to suffer serious or fatal illness if they do become infected. She also contended that vaccinating young kids will make it easier for them to enjoy school and social activities in a safe environment.

Most parents will enthusiastically agree with getting their kids the vaccine; some won’t but, overall, this is a positive development in the ongoing battle against COVID.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.