Under-30-year-olds should no longer receive the corona vaccine from Moderna in the future due to heart problems. The Standing Vaccination Commission advises this. This is how experts classify the risk.
It is known that it is temporally related to a Corona vaccination, in which the mRNA vaccines from Biontech and Moderna were injected, inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis), sometimes also of the pericardium (pericarditis), can occur very rarely.
But how many cases have occurred so far and what has prompted the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) to restrict the Moderna vaccine? A look at the study situation.
Myocarditis after corona vaccination
According to the safety report of the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI) from October 2021, the cases predominantly occur in male adolescents and young adults up to 29 years of age – in accordance with other international data, especially from Israel and the USA.
Most heart problems were diagnosed within 14 days, and more often after the second dose of an mRNA vaccination.
Myocarditis is a collective term for inflammatory diseases of the heart muscle. A distinction is made between acute and chronic forms of myocardial inflammation, whereby the acute myocarditis can turn into a chronic one. Many heart muscle inflammations are asymptomatic or with unspecific symptoms. They can also be life threatening Cardiac arrhythmias trigger.
Stiko: Only Biontech vaccine for under-30s
In a current recommendation, the Stiko advises that only the mRNA vaccine from Biontech should be used for under-30s. The vaccination authority relies on an evaluation of data by the PEI, according to which heart muscle inflammation was observed more frequently in young people – boys as well as girls – after vaccination with Moderna than after vaccination with Biontech.
The recommendation applies to both basic vaccinations and booster vaccinations for under-30s. This new recommendation does not apply to people over 30 years of age.
At the same time, the Stiko emphasizes that the acute course of an inflammation of the myocardium or pericardium after a Covid-19 vaccination is predominantly mild, according to safety reports available to date.
Heart specialist warns: If you don’t get vaccinated, you run a high risk
This is also confirmed by Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Voigtländer, Chairman of the Board of the German Heart Foundation: “These very rare and usually mild cases of myocarditis or pericarditis – we are talking about five cases based on 100,000 vaccinations – heal in almost all cases and must by no means be a reason for themselves to decide against a Covid-19 vaccination – especially since there is the option to switch to the mRNA vaccine Comirnaty (Biontech – editor’s note). “
“Who is not against Covid-19 gets vaccinated, runs a much higher risk due to the dangers of a severe Covid 19 disease course such as organ damage or even death. This is especially true for the chronically ill and the elderly, ”warns the cardiologist. “Nevertheless, patients as well as doctors and healthcare professionals should watch out for certain signs of myocarditis and pericarditis after a Covid-19 vaccination.”
How heart muscle inflammation makes itself felt
According to the German Heart Foundation, signs of cardiac muscle and pericardial inflammation are:
- especially shortness of breath and shortness of breath,
- a heavy heartbeat that may be irregular
- so-called palpitations (heart flutter, racing heart),
- Chest pain (especially with pericarditis),
- inexplicable tiredness,
- Fatigue and physical weakness.
How high is the risk estimated?
The exact frequency of myocarditis and / or pericarditis after mRNA vaccination can still not be determined with certainty because there are no epidemiological (population-based) studies. However, all data suggest that myocarditis after mRNA vaccines is very rare overall.
From more than 92 million vaccine doses Biontech and Moderna, which, according to the PEI, were vaccinated in Germany by the end of September, a total of 1,243 suspected myocarditis / pericarditis – regardless of the causal connection with the respective vaccination – have been reported.
According to the PEI, the reporting rate for boys between the ages of twelve and 17 and young men under 30 was the highest. The reporting rate of myo- / pericarditis with Covid-19 vaccinations for under-30s is about five cases per 100,000 vaccines for the Biontech vaccine and about eleven cases per 100,000 for the Moderna vaccine.
Important NOTE: The information is in no way a substitute for professional advice or treatment by trained and recognized doctors. The contents of t-online cannot and must not be used to independently make diagnoses or start treatments.