CDC safety group said that there is a "probable connection" between a rare cardiac inflammatory disease in teenagers and young adults and the COVID-19 vaccine.
A man experienced chest pain weeks after getting the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine. (Photo is just for illustration purposes only).
Cases of Heart Inflammation
According to a series of slide presentations presented in a meeting of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on Wednesday, there have been over 1,200 cases of myocarditis or pericarditis among people aged 30 and under, who received either Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, reported Forbes.
According to the safety group, the risk of acquiring the cardiac inflammatory disease is much greater after the second dosage of the vaccination and more common among males.
Dr. Grace Lee, who chairs the committee's safety group, said, "Clinical presentation of myocarditis cases following vaccination has been distinct, occurring most often within one week after dose two, with chest pain as the most common presentation," gleaned from a published article in CNBC News.
Symptoms of Heart Inflammation
Myocarditis is an inflammatory condition that affects the heart muscle. Meanwhile, pericarditis is inflammation of the membrane that surrounds the heart. Fever and fatigue, as well as shortness of breathing and a specific kind of chest pain, are typical symptoms. Patients say that when they lean forward, their chest hurts more. When they lean back, the pain generally goes away.
Meanwhile, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are collecting more data to fully understand potential harms, ways to manage them, and probable long-term problems.
CDC Released a Statement
According to the CDC, men under the age of 30 accounts for the majority of cases; most of them seem to be moderate. According to the presentation, 79 percent of the 295 individuals who acquired the illness have completely recovered after being discharged from the hospital.
While hospitalization rates have decreased in older age groups, they have hardly decreased among adolescents and young adults, remarked Dr. Megan Wallace of the CDC.
HHS Released a Separate Statement
Following the discussion on Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a statement co-signed by the CDC and numerous medical professional organizations, emphasizing that cardiac disease is very uncommon.
HHS said that only a very small percentage of individuals will be affected following immunization. The majority of instances in young people are minor, and individuals typically recover on their own or with little therapy. Furthermore, the agencies know that COVID-19 infection increases the risk of myocarditis and pericarditis, and the dangers to the heart from COVID-19 infection may be serious.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 15 last month. Symptoms such as chest discomfort and shortness of breathing usually appear within a week after getting the injection, with the majority appearing within four days, according to the FDA.
It is now working with the CDC to monitor the situation.
Related Article: CDC: Evidence Growing Linking COVID-19 Vaccine to Heart Issue