Local health officials confirm heart inflammation in young adults is not linked to coronavirus vaccine
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reviewing several dozen reports that teenagers and young adults may have developed myocarditis after vaccination, which inflammation of the heart and can occur following certain infections.
The CDC’s review of the reports is in the early stages and the agency has not determined whether there is any evidence that the vaccines caused the heart condition.
The cases seem to have occurred mostly in adolescents and young adults about four days after their second dose of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine.
Dr. Laura Morris with MU Health Care said there is no link between heart inflammation and the vaccine. She said there have been no local cases of heart inflammation from the vaccine, but has seen inflammation of the heart due to COVID-19 infection.
"So far they have not found any link, no more cases have been reported than we typically see at this time of year, most cases of heart inflammation are related to viral infection and not to vaccination at all," Morris said.
Morris is encouraging parents not to read too much into this report as it is a normal investigation and the standard safety reporting process for any new medicine or vaccine. So far the rates of inflammation have not been any higher.
"In fact we know that COVID infection in teens and young people is associated with inflammation of the heart so in fact getting a vaccine to prevent COVID will actually make sure your child doesn't experience any complications from the virus," Morris said.
According to the CDC, number of cases of myocarditis reported after vaccination does not appear to be higher than would normally be seen in young people, however members of the CDC vaccine safety group said they felt the information from the reports of myocarditis should be communicated to providers.
So far about 4.5 million people between the ages 12 and 18 years have received the vaccine in the United States.
