Serious Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Immune, Digestive, Nervous System Conditions 'Are Associated with Primary Vaccination Using COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines': Peer-Reviewed Journal 'Vaccine: X'
"Highest risk" after second dose in males aged 12–17.
Authors of a new peer-reviewed study published this month in the journal Vaccine: X performed a nationwide post-market COVID-19 mRNA vaccine safety surveillance analysis in Singapore.
The study investigated data regarding the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech/ Comirnaty) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna/ Spikevax) jabs.
Looking at vaccinated individuals aged 5 years and older through mid-September 2022, the authors identified safety signals for eight adverse events of special interest (AESIs) occurring within 42 days of vaccination: “strokes, cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), acute myocardial infarction, myocarditis/pericarditis, pulmonary embolism, immune thrombocytopenia, convulsions and appendicitis.”
Strokes: A medical condition where poor blood flow to the brain results in cell death, leading to brain damage, disability, or death.
Cerebral Venous Thrombosis (CVT): A rare form of stroke caused by blood clots in the dural venous sinuses, which drain blood from the brain.
Acute Myocardial Infarction: Commonly known as a heart attack, it occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to a part of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle.
Myocarditis/Pericarditis: Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis is inflammation of the lining outside the heart.
Pulmonary Embolism: A blockage in one of the pulmonary arteries in the lungs, usually caused by blood clots that travel from the legs or other parts of the body.
Immune Thrombocytopenia: An autoimmune disorder characterized by low platelet counts, leading to easy or excessive bruising and bleeding.
Convulsions: Sudden, involuntary muscle contractions and relaxations, often symptomatic of a brain disorder or epilepsy.
Appendicitis: Inflammation of the appendix, a small organ attached to the large intestine, which can cause severe abdominal pain and requires urgent medical treatment.
The study authors confirm serious conditions affecting various systems in the body are linked to coronavirus vaccines.
“Our data suggest that myocarditis/pericarditis, appendicitis and CVT are associated with primary vaccination using COVID-19 mRNA vaccines,” they write.
The authors also reported that men are at higher risk of experiencing these vaccine-related injuries.
“Males at specific ages exhibit higher risks for all three AEs identified,” they state. “For myocarditis/pericarditis, the highest risks were observed after dose 2, in males aged 12 to 17.”
In their conclusion, the researchers re-emphasize the danger of injury following COVID vaccination, writing that “[t]he risk of myocarditis/pericarditis continues to be elevated after booster dose 1.”
They end their study by recommending governments weigh the risks and benefits before conducting nationwide vaccination campaigns: “Contextualizing the risks and against the benefits of vaccination in appropriately stratified populations serve to inform vaccination strategies and preserve public trust in national vaccination programmes.”
Eighty-five percent (85%) of Singapore’s 5.5 million population had received at least one dose by November 30, 2021, while 82 % had completed the primary series vaccination, according to the study. And by July 31, 2022, 77 % received their first booster dose, 75 % of children aged five to 11 completing primary series vaccination.