This claim incorrectly assumes that the vaccine is unsafe. If a higher survival rate is provided, it misrepresents the COVID-19 mortality in the 5-11 age group.
Variations on this claim peg the survival rate significantly higher, for example 99.99999%
According to the CDC, there were over 1.9 million cases in the 5-11 age group between March 2020 and October 2021 (https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2021-11-2-3/03-COVID-Jefferson-508.pdf)
In a similar time period (January 2020 to October 2021), there were 94 deaths (https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2021-11-2-3/03-COVID-Jefferson-508.pdf)
Dividing the 94 US deaths by the 1.9 million US cases gives a case mortality rate of roughly 0.005%, or a survival rate of 99.995%, which is about 50 deaths per million cases.
A survival rate of 99.999% is exaggerated by a factor of 5
A survival rate of 99.9999% is exaggerated by a factor of 50
A survival rate of 99.99999% is exaggerated by a factor of 500
A "survival rate" of 99.995% would mean over 1400 US deaths in the 5-11 age group by the time everyone has had a chance to get infected (population data from https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/101-child-population-by-age-group)
In the United States, from November 3–December 19, 2021, approximately 8.7 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine were administered to children aged 5–11.
During this time, 2 deaths were reported to VAERS and none were reported in v-safe. "These deaths occurred in two females, aged 5 and 6 years, both of whom had complicated medical histories and were in fragile health before vaccination. None of the data suggested a causal association between death and vaccination." (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm705152a1.htm)
Based on this data, you would have to conclude that the "survival rate" of the vaccine is between 99.99999% and 100%, significantly higher than the disease.
If your objective is to save children's lives, then clearly it is better to aim for 0 to 3 deaths (with 0 being most likely) in the entire US population compared to approximately 1400. Vaccination is clearly the optimal choice to avoid death.
It is a very strange argument to suggest that a small number of children's lives are not worth saving.
Indeed. There are many other outcomes worth avoiding. While death is rare in the 5-11 age group, there have been hundreds of hospitalizations for serious COVID-19 complications including MIS-C (multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children) and other complications. Incidents of COVID-19 also cause disruptions to school and family life and put others at risk of contracting the virus.
COVID-19 Vaccine Safety in Children Aged 5–11 Years — United States, November 3–December 19, 2021 (2021-12-31)
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm705152a1.htm
Epidemiology of COVID-19 in Children Aged 5 – 11 years (2021-11-02)
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2021-11-2-3/03-COVID-Jefferson-508.pdf