WASHINGTON, April 26 – โฃA recent memoโ from โคthe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) links ten โฃdeaths โof children to COVID-19โฃ vaccines, according to a report by The New Yorkโ Times.The FDA โคresolute โขthese deaths were likely caused by myocarditis,aโ rare inflammation ofโ the heart โขmuscle,following vaccination with Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines.
The internal FDA document, reviewed by The New York Times, details an analysis of adverse event reports submitted to the agency’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting โขSystem (VAERS). While the FDA continues to maintain the vaccines are safe โand effective, the memo underscores the potential, albeit rare, riskโข of โขserious side effectsโ in children. This revelation comes as health officials continue to encourage vaccination as a primary defense against severe illness from COVID-19, notably with new โvariants emerging.โข
Theโ cases identifiedโ in the FDA โmemo involveโ children who died โwithin days or weeks after receiving a dose ofโ the mRNA vaccines. The โagency’s analysis found a “plausibleโ causal association” between the vaccines and the myocarditis that led toโ the deaths.Nine of the โฃten deaths involved boys aged 16 or 17, and one involved a girl aged โค14.
According to the Times report, the FDA is preparingโ toโ release more detailed information about its findings, including a risk assessment ofโ myocarditis following COVID-19 vaccination in younger age groups. The agency has stated it is continuously monitoring vaccine safety dataโ and will update its recommendations asโ needed.
Myocarditis is a known, though rare,โข side effect of the โขmRNA vaccines, particularly in young men and โadolescent boys.Symptoms can include โchest pain, shortness of breath, and irregular heartbeat. Most cases are mild โand resolve with treatment, butโ severe cases can be fatal.
The FDA memo and subsequent New York Times report are likely to โคfuel ongoing โฃdebate about the risks and benefits of COVID-19โ vaccination,โ especially for children. Health officials emphasize that the benefits ofโ vaccination continue to outweigh the risks, given the potential for severe โillness, hospitalization, and deathโฃ fromโ COVID-19 itself.
