Amid teen heart inflammation concerns, B.C. doctor puts vaccine risk into context

With many B.C. teens now eligible for a booster shot against COVID-19, many parents continue to raise concerns about a potential side effect of the vaccine.

Despite worries over myocarditis — an inflammation of the heart muscle — reported in some people who had received an mRNA shot, one Vancouver doctor stresses it’s important to put things into context, noting the condition is still incredibly rare.

Dr. Brian Conway with the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre points out the risk of heart inflammation is actually higher if your child contracts COVID-19.

“In terms of someone getting myocarditis as a result of natural infection, that rate will be significantly higher than the one-in-10,000 risk that we know exists in younger men who get their mRNA vaccine,” he explained.

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Conway agrees with many other experts that vaccination plays a big part in our fight against COVID-19, especially as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant of the virus continues to spread.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, rare cases of myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported more often in males 12 to 30 years old after a second dose of an mRNA vaccine.

“Most cases have been mild and resolved quickly,” PHAC said.

Conway tells CityNews there’s no evidence currently that the risk of developing myocarditis is higher or lower with a third dose.

“We know that the risks for the second shot in younger men can be about one-in-10,000, which is higher than the risk that would have occurred with the first shot,” he explained.

None of this isn’t purely hypothetical. We have a real-world example in Canadian soccer star Alphonso Davies.

The 21-year-old missed out on this latest round of World Cup qualifiers after suffering heart inflammation due to the virus.

The inflammation was detected in a follow-up examination after his return to training following his bout with COVID-19. Bayern Munich head coach Julian Nagelsmann described the inflammation as “mild” and “not so dramatic,” citing the results of an ultrasound examination.

Conway says the risk of developing myocarditis as a result of COVID-19 infection “will be significantly higher” than the risk that we know exists in younger men who get their second dose.

“On balance, it is safer, more effective, better for that individual’s health, the health of the community, to go ahead and get their two shots and their third, probably,” he added.

Despite this, Conway believes it would be beneficial in some circumstances to provide concerned families and teens dedicated events in high schools to be able to ask questions and have their worries addressed before receiving a vaccine.

That type of plan should be considered if B.C. starts seeing vaccine efforts falling behind in that group of people, he adds.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends children 12 to 17 years old receive a complete primary series of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, including a third dose for those who are deemed moderately to severely immunocompromised.

NEW re Teen Boosters
DBH: Following NACI recommendations those who are CEV should get 3rd dose then a 4th booster and those at high risk booster at 6 months.
Information will be sent to all 12-17 year olds at 6 months to decide if they want or no#bcpoli #covid19 @CityNewsVAN

— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) February 1, 2022

In some cases, particularly for adolescents who are immunocompromised, the additional booster would be their fourth shot.

The province says children between 12 and 17 who are in this risk group will soon be invited to get their fourth shots.

-With files from Liza Yuzda