Canada : Health Authorities warn for ‘rare risk’ of heart issues due to mRNA vaccines
Canadian health authorities have issued a public advisory saying those taking mRNA Covid-19 vaccines should be warned of the “very rare risk” of heart inflammation caused by the shots. The advisory effectively concerns two mRNA vaccines the ones rolled out by Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna that have emergency-use authorisation in Canada.
The National Advisory Council on Immunisation (NACI) recommended on Friday that “informed consent” for those receiving mRNA vaccines should “include a discussion about the very rare risk” of the two conditions – myocarditis or pericarditis – following vaccination.
“We have been closely monitoring the evolving situation of rare cases of myocarditis or pericarditis following mRNA vaccination among younger people. The NACI is encouraged to see that the clinical presentations appear mild, and resolve quickly. The benefits of the Covid-19 immunisation programme continue to outweigh the relatively small risk for all people including adolescents,” NACI chief Shelley Deeks mentioned.
Health Canada reiterated in their release that “COVID-19 vaccines continue to be safe and effective at protecting against COVID-19,” and the “benefits of COVID-19 vaccines continue to outweigh their potential risks, as scientific evidence shows that they reduce deaths and hospitalizations due to COVID-19.”
A study, which was supported by the federal government, found that a single dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine produced short-term antibody levels more than one-and-a-half times greater than those produced by one dose of AstraZeneca.
