Youth and corona vaccine

(NEXSTAR) – Children, teenagers, and young adults considering whether to be vaccinated with the coronavirus may have heard of a new side effect of concern, myocarditis.

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart and is a very rare side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is most commonly found in adolescents and young adults, especially boys. According to The New York Times, myocarditis appears to occur after the second vaccination, so in other countries such as Hong Kong, Norway, Denmark and Sweden, only one vaccination is given to healthy teens. I’m starting to recommend it.

Should we consider the same in the United States? Currently, experts say no for two main reasons.

First of all, the incidence of COVID-19 cases is much lower in other countries that offer only one dose to adolescents.

“Unfortunately, we are COVID leaders,” said Dr. Anjan Batra, a professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of California, Irvine. The United States ranks number one in the world for most cases and deaths. “If you have very few cases, you can come up with some compromise …. I don’t know. [one-dose] The answer here is a compromise. ”

In countries like Hong Kong, the risk of getting COVID is much lower than in the United States. If COVID is rare, you may feel more empowered to make decisions based on rare side effects. But if COVID is the current threat of reality, there may not be such a luxury.

Second, and more importantly, Mr. Batra said that if parents are really worried about heart inflammation, they need to be worried about COVID-19.

“There is a false assumption that COVID does not cause myocarditis. Myocarditis is much more serious with COVID than with the COVID vaccine.”

Myocarditis can cause heart rhythm problems (beating too fast or too slow) or compress the blood vessels that nourish the heart. In general, myocarditis manifests itself as a result of a viral infection, Battra explained. However, studies have shown that it is extremely rare as a result of the COVID vaccine.

“Looking at the numbers, about 12 in 1 million people have myocarditis with the vaccine,” said Battra. “One more thing to keep in mind is that people who get myocarditis or inflammation from the vaccine. For almost everyone, this is a temporary phenomenon that improves.”

Batra said he was seeing something more of a concern than myocarditis in pediatric patients. MISC, or pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome.

“We see many patients in our hospital who have it,” he said. “Including, but not limited to, myocarditis The effects of this include the significant dilation of blood vessels leading to the heart. It is much more dangerous. It is much more likely to die from this condition. High and has long-term effects on the heart. ”

Batra said questions about COVID-19 and vaccines have become a big part of his practice. “Now it has replaced heart disease. Every parent and every child has this question.”

In medicine and life, Batra said that nothing is 100% certain. All are risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis. He encourages patients to read medical journals and scrutinized studies to help them make their decisions. He said his two children were vaccinated as soon as they were qualified.

For Batra, the risk of being unvaccinated or partially vaccinated against COVID poses a higher risk to the heart health of children and teens than the vaccine.

Dr. Jeffrey Duchin, a Seattle health doctor, agreed and told The New York Times: “All the data so far suggest that the disease itself is significantly worse than the side effects of the vaccine.”

CDC Advice to everyone Over 12 years old get both doses. “The known risk of COVID-19 illness and related serious complications such as long-term health problems, hospitalization, and even death far outweighs the potential risk of rare side effects. Vaccinations that include the potential risk of myocarditis or peritonitis. “