Health authorities are trying to determine whether a heart inflammation could be a rare side effect in teens and young adults after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hold an "emergency” meeting of advisors Friday to discuss the rare but higher-than-expected reports of myocarditis and pericarditis after receiving the Pfizer or Moderna shots.
On Thursday, the CDC said there were 226 cases that met its “working case definition” of the conditions. Most recovered, but 41 had ongoing symptoms, 15 remained hospitalized and three were in intensive care. The patients were primarily male.
Nearly 140 million Americans have been fully vaccinated, about 9 percent to ages 16 to 24.
An article on seven U.S. teen boys in several states was published this month in Pediatrics, among the latest reports of heart inflammation discovered after vaccination, but there is no proven link. The boys received Pfizer shots in April or May and developed chest pain within days. None became critically ill.
Health officials continue to recommend that everyone 12 or older be vaccinated for the disease. Authorities say vaccination benefits far outweigh any potential risk.
“Myocarditis can be the consequence of a recent viral infection, and it is yet to be determined if these cases have any correlation to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine,” the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association said in a statement.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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