The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met June 23 to discuss the latest data on reports of cases of inflammation of the heart muscle and surrounding tissue called myocarditis and pericarditis following COVID-19 vaccination among young people.
Its conclusion: These cases remain rare, are usually mild when they do occur, and pose no obstacle to ongoing COVID-19 immunization.
So far, about 46%, or 154 million Americans, have been fully vaccinated, and about 54%, or 179 million, have been partly vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Since April, more than 1,000 cases of myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported to the U.S. government’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System after vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, the two most prevalent COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S, CDC says.
“The facts are clear,” public health leaders from CDC, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, American Medical Association, and multiple health-related agencies and organizations said in a joint statement conveying that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of this side effect. Myocarditis and pericarditis are “an extremely rare side effect, and only an exceedingly small number of people will experience it after vaccination. Importantly, for the young people who do, most cases are mild, and individuals recover often on their own or with minimal treatment. In addition, we know that myocarditis and pericarditis are much more common if you get COVID-19, and the risks to the heart from COVID-19 infection can be more severe.”
CDC offers a guide to help physicians find out more about diagnosing and evaluating patients with symptoms of myocarditis or pericarditis.
TMA’s Vaccines Defend What Matters program offers a variety of resources on COVID-19 vaccines. Also, the Texas Department of State Health Services has created a series of new social media tools, videos, and other communication tools designed to help promote COVID-19 vaccination.
As always, check the TMA COVID-19 Resource Center regularly for up-to-date news and the latest TMA materials for your practice.