Vaccine Hot Topics: Myocarditis, Pericarditis and the COVID-19 Vaccines – FNHA
With the strong uptake of COVID-19 vaccines in BC (nearly 75 per cent of adults have now had at least one dose) COVID-19 cases are dropping and provincial public health measures are relaxing – just in time for summer!
We know that concerns sometimes arise that make people wonder if vaccines are safe. The recent reports of myocarditis and pericarditis provide a good example to let you know how the vaccine safety system works, ensuring that COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective – and saving lives.
What are myocarditis and pericarditis?
Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle and pericarditis is inflammation of the outer lining of the heart. These sometimes occur with viral infections, including many people who are hospitalized with COVID-19. Symptoms can include shortness of breath, chest pain, or the feeling of a rapid or abnormal heart rhythm. Recently, these conditions have been found in a few people – mostly young men and youth – in the first week after receiving a mRNA (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) vaccine.
