11/17/2021

COVID-19 Vaccine Questions

Currently COVID-19 Vaccines are available from certain Pharmaceutical  companies for children 5 years and older.  Many of our patients are asking about whether they should receive vaccination or note.

While previously considered low risk we are seeing a significant increase in the number of children with more severe illness due to COVID-19.  Additionally children are much more likely to develop a unique complication called MIS-C (Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome in Children).  This is a serious illness that develops about 1 month after exposure to COVID-19 and effects multiple organs, including the heart.  Children are often very sick during this illness .  Unfortunately this complication seems to arise even if your initial infection with COVID-19 was mild.  Because of the risk of complications to your heart with both COVID-19 and MIS-C we are currently recommending vaccination.  

There have been concerns about a complication of the COVID-19 vaccine reported called myocarditis or pericarditis.  This is inflammation of the heart as a reaction to the vaccine.  This is a very rare finding, averaging 54 cases per million doses when looking at 12-17 year olds.  The risks for MIS-C and severe COVID-19 infection remain higher than this risk by a significant degree.  

While fatigue, muscle pain, fever, and. chill are common after vaccination if your child develops chest pain within 3-5 days of vaccination we recommend they be evaluated.

If you have questions about vaccines please call our office for more information.  

Here at Tri-City Pediatric Cardiology we are doing our part to keep everyone safe by keeping patient times in the waiting room to a short as possible.  

We appreciate your help in keeping us all safe and your understanding during this time.