A teenager presses a cotton ball against his arm after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the Oregon Health & Science University vaccination site on May 17. Photo: Alisha Jucevic/Bloomberg via Getty Images
An advisory panel for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating a few reports of heart inflammation in young adults following their inoculation from two-dose mRNA vaccines.
Why it matters: Although the CDC says reports of myocarditis, or heart inflammation, have not exceeded expected rates, the condition can lead to rapid or abnormal heart rhythms and even sudden cardiac death.
Details: The few reports of inflammation following vaccination have largely been reported in young adults and adolescents, with symptoms typically seen within 4 days of receiving the shot, the panel said.
- Cases of inflammation have been reported more often in men than women and more often following the second vaccine dose.
Where it stands: The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the only coronavirus vaccine cleared for children by the Food and Drug Administration's emergency use authorization and the CDC's advisory panel. The vaccine is available for 12-to 15-year-olds.