Decision aid (5–15 years): decision

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We hope the information in this decision aid has helped you to make a decision. Select from the options below to see what your next steps will be.

I have decided to get the COVID-19 vaccine for my child

I need to discuss the decision further with my family and doctor

I need to learn more about COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine

I have decided not to give my child the COVID-19 vaccine

Other…

Your next step
Get in touch with your local doctor, pharmacist or vaccine clinic and make an appointment to get the COVID-19 vaccine for your child. For information about government-run vaccination services, check with your local Department of Health.

Share your decision with us
You can help us to improve this Decision Aid in the future by sharing your decision with us. Just click the ‘send’ button below. The information you share will be anonymous and confidential and will only be shared with the Decision Aid team.

Your next step
Make time to talk with family members about the benefits and risks of getting a COVID-19 vaccine for your child. Also make an appointment with your doctor so you can talk through any questions or concerns.

Share your decision with us
You can help us to improve this Decision Aid in the future by sharing your decision with us. Just click the ‘send’ button below. The information you share will be anonymous and confidential and will only be shared with the Decision Aid team.

Your next step
It is important that you get information about the benefits and risks of COVID-19 vaccination from credible sources. Your doctor will be able to answer your questions. They will also be able to recommend other good sources of information. The Useful Links section on this page also lists a number of reliable information sources.

Share your decision with us
You can help us to improve this Decision Aid in the future by sharing your decision with us. Just click the ‘send’ button below. The information you share will be anonymous and confidential and will only be shared with the Decision Aid team.

Your next step
Do what you can to keep your child and family safe and healthy. Social distancing, mask-wearing and frequent hand-washing can help reduce your child’s risk of catching and spreading the virus. You could find it useful to revisit this Decision Aid in the future.

Share your decision with us
You can help us to improve this Decision Aid in the future by sharing your decision with us. Just click the ‘send’ button below. The information you share will be anonymous and confidential and will only be shared with the Decision Aid team.

Useful links
1. Decision aid (5–15 years): Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine for my child? https://www.ncirs.org.au/covid-19-decision-aid-for-adults
2. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance. https://www.ncirs.org.au/our-work/covid-19
3. AusVaxSafety https://www.ncirs.org.au/our-work/ausvaxsafety
4. Australian Government Department of Health. Coronavirus (COVID-19) case numbers and statistics. https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-case-numbers-and-statistics#covid19-summary-statistics
5. TGA weekly safety reports https://www.tga.gov.au/periodic/covid-19-vaccine-weekly-safety-report-29-07-2021#section-694
6. Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. https://www.health.gov.au/committees-and-groups/australian-technical-advisory-group-on-immunisation-atagi
7. The Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre. COVID-19. Available from: https://mvec.mcri.edu.au/covid-19/
8. Government of Victoria. Vaccination for children and treenagers. Available from https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccination-information-children-and-teenagers
9. The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. Centre for Community Child Health. COVID-19 and Kids Resource Hub. Available from: https://www.rch.org.au/ccch/covid-19/
Glossary
- Antibodies: Antibodies are proteins that our bodies make to help fight infections.
- Inactivated or ‘dead’ virus: Some vaccines contain viruses or parts of viruses that have been killed (inactivated) with a chemical such as formaldehyde. Although the virus is killed, your body is still able to recognise the virus and produce an immune response. The dead virus can’t reproduce itself or cause disease.
- Pandemic: A pandemic is an epidemic that occurs on an international scale
- Pneumonia: Pneumonia is a serious lung infection caused by viruses or bacteria. Symptoms include shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, green-yellow phlegm, chest pains and fever.
- Thrombosis: is the formation of a blood clot, which prevents blood flowing normally through the body. While thrombosis is usually a normal response to prevent bleeding (e.g. following injury), in this case this process is abnormal.
- Thrombocytopenia: A condition in which you have a low blood platelet count. Platelets (thrombocytes) are blood cells that help blood clot. Platelets stop bleeding by clumping and forming plugs in injured blood vessels.
- Variant: a slight genetic change in the virus
- Variant of Concern (VoC): A variant that increases the ability of the virus to infect larger numbers of people, create more severe disease or reduce the effectiveness of treatments or vaccines. There are currently four variants of concern (VoC) associated with COVID-19 as of August 2021. These are called the Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta variants.
- Virus: The term virus is used to describe germs that cause many different kinds of infections, including COVID-19. Antibiotics work against bacteria, but not viruses.

STEP 4:
Consider what matters most for your family

Having read this information, what will you do next?