Doctor explains rare COVID-19 vaccine side effect that led Sweeden to pause Moderna shots
Updated: 5:03 PM EDT Oct 6, 2021
MARIA: SWEDEN IS CAUNGSI USE OF MODERNA’S COVID-19 FOR THOSE UNDER 30. END A POSSIBLE RARE SE IDEFFECT COULD CAUSE HETAR INFLAMMATNIO, SWEDEN’S PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY SAYS THE RISK IS VERY SMALL BUT IS HIGHEST FOR YOUNG MEN AFTER THEIR SECOND DOSE. THE PAUSE WILL BE ENFORCED UNTIL DECEMBER FIRST FROM TTHA LAUNCHING POINT, WE’R’ SURE THE MORE THAN ONE POINT NINE MILLION PEOPLE IN MASSACHUSETTS WHO HAVE GOTTEN THE MODERNA VACCINE VEHA QUESTIONS. MARIA: WE WANT TO BRING INR. D SHIRA DORON, HOSPITAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST AT TUFTS MEDICAL CENT.ER THANKS FOR JOINING US. LET’S TALK FIRST ABOUT THE SIDE EFFES.CT WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? AND HOW SERIOUS ARE THEY? HOW CONCERNED SHOULD PEOPLE BE? >> MYOCARDITIS IS INFLAMMATION OF THE HEART MUSE.CL SYMPTOMS CAN INCLUDE CHEST PAIN, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, RAPID OR ABNORMAL HEART RHYTHM AND EXTREME TIFAGUE. IF THEY OCCUR BECAUSE OF THE VACCINE, THEY ALMOST ALWAYS OCHER IN THE FIRST FEW DAYS. MOST OF THE CASES OF MYOCARDITIS IS AFTER VACCINATION HAVE BEEN MILD. ED: HAVE BEEN MILD, RESEARCHERS SAY, THE SIDE EFFES CTAPPEAR TO AFFECT YOUNGER M.EN HAVE WE SEEN SIMILAR CASES — EDDIE RODRIGUEZ HAD MYOCARDITIS, HAVE WE SEEN SIMILAR CASES WENT TO MODERNA IN THE U.S.? >> WE HAVE, WE KNEW ABOUT THE SIDE EFFECT AND IN A JUNE MEETG,IN THE CDC REVIEWED CASES OF MYOCARDITIS AFTER VACCINATION. THEY CUT UP THE DAAT IN A VARIETY OF WAYS BUT IF YOU LOOK AT 1 TO2 39-YEAR-OLDS, THE RATE OF MYOCARDITIS AFTER ANY DOSEF O MRNA VACCINE, PFIZER OF MADRONA, WAS EIGHT PIECES PER ONE MILLION. I WENT BACK TO THAT REPORT, IT SHOWS THAT THE RATE OF MYOCARDITIS IS HIGHER AFTER MADONNA THEN PFIZER. HIGHER AFTER THE SECDON AND ESPECIALLY IN YOUNG MALES. MARIA: THESE ARE THINGS WE CONTINUE TO LEARN AS THIS PANDEMIC ROLLS ON. I WANT TO CLARIFY, HEALTH OFFICIALS IN SDEWEN EMPHASIZE THAT THE RISK FROM THE MODERNA VACCINE IS VERY SMALL, BUT THEY’VE DIDECED NOT TO DISTRIBUTE IT RIGHT NOW TO PEOPLE UNDER 30. DE NMARK ALSO ANNOUNCED, IT WON’T OFFER MODERNA TO ANYONE UNDER 18. AND NORWAY IS URGING PEOPLE UNDER 30 TO GET PFIZER INSTEAD. SO WHY TAKTHE OSE STEPS IF THE SIDE EFFECT IS SO RARE? >> IT IS RARE AND OUR CDC DID AN EXTENSIVE RISK BENEFIT ANALYSIS COMPARING THE RISK OF MY PRICES AFTER VACCINATION TO THE BENEFIT OF BEING VACCINATED PROVIDES IN TES RMOF PREVENTING HOSPITALIZATNIO BECAUSE OF COVID-19. THAT ANALYSIS WAS BASED ON COVERED RATES WE HAD IN MAY WHICH ARE LOWER THAN THEY ARE NOW. IF ANYTHING RIT GHNOW IS HIGHER, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT ANYONE WHO GIVES VACCINATED CAN CHOOSE PFIZER OVER MADRONA. AND THEREFORE, DECREASE THE RISK FURTHER. THAT IS WHY IT MAKES SENSE FOR THOSE COUNTRIES TO REMAIN WHILE IN BEST GETTING. >> YOU MENTIONED SMALL NUMBERS, IT CASES OUT OF ONE MILLION FOR EXAMPLE, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT A RARE SIDE EFFECT FROM A COVERED VACCINE LINKED TO HEART ISSUES OR BLOOD VESSELS. THAT CAN BE SCARY TO ANYONE WHO MITGH BE HESITANT ABOUT GETTING VACCINATED. WHAT IS THE TAKEAWAY? WHAT DO YOUAN WT THEM TO KNOW IN THE BACK OF THEIR MIND? >> I GET IT. IT FEELS LEIK THERE ARE MANY UNKNOWNS, BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS ATTH BILLIONS OF DOSES OF COVID VACCINE HAVE BEEN GIVEN NOW THROUGHOUT THE WOR OLDVER MORE THAN A YEAR. WHAT WE HAVE KNOWN ABOUTp MYOCARDITIS SINCE THE SPRING IS THAT IT CAN HAPPEN, IT IS RARE, WE ARE NOT LIKELY TO LRNEA ABOUT ANY NEW SIDE EFFECTS AT THIS POINT. YOU DON’T WANT TO TAKE YOUR CHANCES WITH THIS VIRUS, IT IS TOO UNPREDICTABLE. IT WILL FIND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US AND WHEN IT FINDS YOU, UYO WANT TO HAVE IMMUNITY. MARIA: DR. DORON, THANK YO
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Doctor explains rare COVID-19 vaccine side effect that led Sweeden to pause Moderna shots
Updated: 5:03 PM EDT Oct 6, 2021
Sweden paused the use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for people under 30 citing a possible rare side effect that could cause heart inflammation. Dr. Shira Doron of Tufts Medical Center explains the condition and what potential vaccine recipients ought to know.
Sweden paused the use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for people under 30 citing a possible rare side effect that could cause heart inflammation. Dr. Shira Doron of Tufts Medical Center explains the condition and what potential vaccine recipients ought to know.
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