© 2024 WOSU Public Media
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Doctors Find Heart Risk For Young People Is Far Greater From COVID Than Vaccine

Ohio State University clinic manager Paige Blankenship, left, administers one of the first Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines to Osvaldo Campanella Tuesday, March 2, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio.
Jay LaPrete
/
Associated Press

The Centers for Disease Control has found 323 cases of heart inflammation have been verified in young people who received COVID-19 vaccines. The agency is now exploring whether the vaccine actually caused those problems. But some of the state’s top doctors said fear of those side effects are not a good reason for young people to avoid getting the vaccine. 

Dr. Sarabh Rajpal with Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center said there's a far greater risk of the heart inflammation called myocarditis from getting COVID than getting the vaccines to prevent the virus. He said there are 12.6 estimated cases of myocarditis per million second doses of COVID-19.    

“Even if we compare the highest risk group, which is the 12-17 age group of males, the estimated risk is 70 per million second doses administered which is still about 70 times lower than the risk of myocarditis with COVID,” Rajpal said.

Doctors on the Ohio Department of Health’s call with reporters said if you are the unlikely few who get heart issues from the COVID vaccine, you will likely get a milder case. They note nearly all of those hospitalized in Ohio now with COVID-19 are unvaccinated. 

Copyright 2021 The Statehouse News Bureau. To see more, visit The Statehouse News Bureau.

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.
Related Content