The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that it has received reports of young children having serious side effects after receiving the experimental COVID vaccine.
The CDC has received reports of at least eight cases of myocarditis (heart inflammation) in children ages 5 to 11 who had received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine.
These reports were received through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), and were presented by the CDC to a panel of expert advisers. According to the agency, over 7 million doses have been given to children in the 5-11 age group thus far, with 5.1 million being first doses and 2 million being second doses.
The myocarditis reports had “a mild clinical course,” according to the CDC.
These are not the first reports of myocarditis directly linked to the vaccine. The CDC received around 323 reports that met its definition for myocarditis and pericarditis in vaccinated people under 30 as of June 11, 2021. Pericarditis refers to inflammation of the outer lining of the heart.
“We’re observing this in younger age groups, mainly in people in the teens and early 20s and observing it more in males compared to females,” said Dr. Tom Shimabukuro, deputy director of the CDC’s Immunization Safety Office, earlier this year, prior to the vaccines being authorized for young children.
According to VAERS, symptoms for both myocarditis and pericarditis include chest pain, shortness of breath and feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering or pounding heart.
The majority of cases have occurred within a week after receiving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, especially in male adolescents or young adults.
Of course, the CDC is still recommending that young children get the vaccine, despite the science showing that their risk of serious illness from COVID is extremely low unless they have significant comorbidities.
“The known risks of COVID-19 illness and its related, possibly severe complications, such as long-term health problems, hospitalization, and even death, far outweigh the potential risks of having a rare adverse reaction to vaccination, including the possible risk of myocarditis or pericarditis,” the CDC states.
