US health authorities plan to update official guidance about administering mRNA Covid vaccines to adolescents and young adults after finding a likely link to rare cases of heart inflammation, but say the overall benefits still “clearly” outweigh the risks.
The cases are predominantly among males, most occur after the second dose, and there are no confirmed deaths.
“Myocarditis is a rare disease but it’s not a new disease, it’s been around for a while,” Matthew Oster, a member of the CDC’s Covid vaccine task force told the meeting, noting the estimated background rate of myocarditis is about 0.8 per 100,000 children per year.
According to the CDC, for every million second doses given to 12-to-17-year-old boys, 5,700 COVID cases, 215 hospitalizations, 71 ICU admissions and two deaths across 120 days would be prevented by vaccination.
If a person develops myocarditis after their first dose, they will be advised to defer their second dose until more information is known.
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