The benefits of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines outweigh the risk of rare heart inflammation
A CDC group analyzed 636 reported post-vaccination cases of myocarditis
U.S. health officials will add a warning that the mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 could possibly cause rare cases of heart inflammation.
The largest-yet review of cases found a higher-than-expected incidence of the side effect, particularly in teen and young adult males. But the risk of the easily treatable heart issue is low and outweighed by the benefits of vaccination, Sara Oliver of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said June 23 after a presentation of the risks and protections offered by the mRNA vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech.
For instance, the data show that for every million second doses of vaccine given to boys ages 12 to 17, about 56 to 69 cases of heart inflammation are expected to arise. That makes them the group most at risk of the side effect. But the shots could shield the boys from 5,700 cases of COVID-19 and its complications, including 215 hospitalizations, 71 intensive care admissions and two deaths. Girls in that age group have a much lower risk — 8 to 10 instances per 1 million second doses — but vaccination could avert 8,500 cases of COVID-19, 183 hospitalizations, 38 ICU admissions and one death.