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This news sucked, and I agree it feels more daunting with the way omicron is spreading. I'm feeling sad and a little weary while still navigating the pandemic with a kid who is too young to be vaccinated when so many people around me are on the "I'm vaccinated, boosted, and ready to move on whatever it looks like!" train. I was so relieved and grateful when my six year old could get the vaccine, and I was SO ready for that with my four year old too.

I'm feeling pretty good about our immediate week ahead with holiday plans since we're staying home and laying low next week. But when my kids go back to school in January, it feels sort of inevitable. For now, I'm trying to just focus on enjoying the holiday and time off of work/school. The omicron spread has evolved so much over the last week, so I'm trying to not think too far ahead because I can't totally anticipate what info I'll be working with in a week as it gets closer to the kids going back to school.

But it's hard, and my heart goes out to you with a little one at higher risk. There has been so much good news about vaccines along the way, this delay feels like such a big blow right now.

I’m sorry you’re feeling sad and worried. I wanted to offer two things in case it was helpful. First, our four kids all had it and it was so mild that we wouldn’t have even known it was covid if DH and I hadn’t also gotten sick. (We had typical cough and loss of smell...). But the kids had like the most minor cold. Second is if you are more data driven- look at South Africa. They are saying it is mild! The best advice I can offer is to focus on your own health- eating healthy, getting enough sleep, sunshine, movement, that kind of stuff and try to let go of what is out of your control. I know easier said than done. And I’m just a stranger on the internet but I will send you some strength and positivity and if you believe in that, I think it will help!

@karenbme: Yes, the “everyone who wants a vaccine can get a vaccine” mantra that came along with dropping precautions drives me a little crazy while kids aren’t all eligible yet. Hugs to you with this wave and heightened worries.

@karenbme: the new variant has me nervous too. It's sounding like my oldest will turn 5 before having access. We have 3 people in our circle I am worried about so we haven't stopped making, and luckily our county has a mandate (not enforced, but still...)

@karenbme: - I'm really sorry, this seems so rough.

I have three kids under five and it was definitely a blow. Their daycare has been closed for much of the past month due to quarantines (they test teachers and omicron causing lots of breakthroughs). Every time this happens I have them home for two weeks, in addition to having the concern that they were exposed. They announced they were going to be closed next month and pay teachers because omicron made it too dangerous to operate, then they backtracked to open very partially which upset the staff for obvious reasons - don't tell people it's too dangerous to work and then change your mind. This has made the existing labor shortage untenable and now we are looking at reduced care availability for an indefinite, extended period. My stress level - and that of other parents - is through the roof. We really need a new care arrangement, but it's not easy to find in our area.

The vaccine I think would have helped - in addition to obviously offering them some protection. I've resigned myself now to the fact that with how contagious omicron is, they are probably going to get it before they can be fully vaxed, though we are still taking every precaution possible.

@cake2017: While it’s true that you can still catch the virus if you’re vaccinated, there’s a lot of evidence that the more vaccinated you are the less likely you’ll be to end up in the hospital. And while it is generally mild for children, there are, according to UNIVEF, more than 12,000 parents of children who have died from covid who would strongly disagree with you. Here in Canada a healthy two month old died a few weeks ago. It might be here to stay but at the moment the system is overwhelmed, doctors and nurses are incredibly stressed and burnt out, and the sheer numbers of people getting sick are about to cause medical professionals to make some tough decisions about who gets to survive. That’s way more than “unfortunate”.

@cake2017: I genuinely don’t want to argue, but “it’s very mild for children and Omicron is mild overall” is a statement of fact, not an opinion.

My older child (8) is fully vaccinated. His school was supposed to restart after holiday break tomorrow but the city just announced that schools are closed tomorrow because so many staff have COVID and they could not find enough substitutes. They're distributing at-home tests for all kids instead.

My 14 month-old is not vaccinated. Tomorrow is his first day of daycare and I can't help but think I'm sending him into a lion's den.

I know most people don't agree with this, but I'm still not ready to accept the risk of my children being infected with this virus, especially without any vaccine protection, and with all the unknowns about its long-term effects. I've done everything I could to protect my family for almost two years while others have gone on as normal. I've been in the ICU and witnessed the pandemic first-hand, and had to begin therapy to cope while others traveled and went to gatherings and ate out etc. And my "reward" is being forced into this no win situation.

I'm really stressed out and I hope I'm not doing wrong by my baby.

I'm glad this thread exists so I can commiserate with parents who feel similarly. Thank you @karenbme: hopefully a vaccine for this age group within the next few months!

Edit: omicron might be mild but that might be because the populations studied have some immunity from vaccines or prior infections. This doesn't pertain to the youngest children and babies, who are being hospitalized at rates not before seen in this pandemic.

@JJ2626: this would be great news! but i thought moderna's 12-17 vaccine had been held up and never approved. does anyone have a good understanding as to why or whether the same factors are likely to delay the moderna approvals for younger ages?

@bhbee: oh, very interesting! i sure would be too!!

So both of my daughter’s preschool teachers have been exposed to covid. One is her partner and kid so pretty sure she will get it. Luckily, DD hasn’t started back yet but now she won’t go for at least a week probably 2. Things are so insane and I live in an 80% vaxxed county. All this to say, this sh*t is nuts and it’s okay to feel sad and overwhelmed. Good news is I really believe this surge will peak in 2ish weeks. Hang in there, all!!!

I don't want to hijack this thread or start anything again but if there are people on the fence about vaccines thinking it's mild, especially in children, or just a bad cold I just read that there are currently 38 children under 5 hospitalized in Ontario alone. Please please please once your kids are able to get vaccinated, get them vaccinated, and for those of you anxiously waiting to be eligible my heart is with you.

FWIW, a lot of hospital counts don’t distinguish between hospitalized WITH Covid or FOR Covid. Omicron is so contagious, and they test every single person who is hospitalized. So some cases are incidental to hospitalization—aka they are hospitalized for an unrelated reason and also turn out to have Covid. The flu shot (which we always get) is also a poor match this year, unfortunately, so that won’t help matters. Anyway, there are many very strong reasons to get vaxxed, or your children vaxxed, aside from potential hospitalization.

My child who is old enough is fully vaxxed, I’m vaxxed and boosted, and I strongly encourage vaccination! I just think it’s worth being super clear to avoid even more stress, because I’m sure we’re all anxious enough. Both of my kids had Covid in November and were asymptomatic. Like @Chuckles I was SO worried when they tested positive. But we honestly never would have known if my husband hadn’t gotten sick first (he was patient zero for us).