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Advocate Prashant Bhushan while arguing against the compulsory vaccine mandate today submitted that “It is unstick and irresponsible to use such untested vaccines on children. They are hardly affected by COVID. Chances of children dying of vaccine itself is more than chances of the child dying due to COVID.”

Bhushan further argued that some schools are mandating not only the children to get vaccinated but are also forcing the parents to be vaccinated. On vaccination for children, Bhushan submitted that vaccines can cause Myocarditis in children. He argued that one in 1000 children can get Myocarditis because of the vaccination, however the chances of children becoming seriously ill because of COVID is one in a lakh.

He argued that parents cannot give informed consent to vaccinate their children as they are not aware of the vaccine trials and the side effects of it. He submitted that parents are now giving consent because of the propaganda by Health Ministry. Bhushan argued that on 24th December the government announced that the children need not be vaccinated, however they changed their decision in a matter of weeks.

Bhushan “Not one country, not one data suggests that death of children due to COVID-19 is more than one in one lakh.” He argued that for children flu is more serious that COVID. He argued that assuming the risk of vaccinating children is one in six lakhs and there are 20 crore children in the country, lakhs of children will be affected due to vaccination and may get Myocarditis.

Upon Bhushan completing his submissions, ASG Aishwarya Bhati informed the court that children are being given non messenger RNA vaccines which do not affect them. She submitted that a detailed response will be filed to these arguments.

The court on hearing the submissions adjourned to matter to 8th March 2022 for further consideration.

Bhushan was arguing a PIL filed seeking  disclosure of data related to vaccine trials and restraining coercive action against those not taking vaccines. When the matter came up in November SG Tushar Mehta made it clear that any attempt by a groups with vested interest which will result in vaccine hesitancy may be avoided.

Case title: Jacob Puliyel Vs Union of India