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'Mild risk' prompts Ontario to recommend Pfizer over Moderna for those aged 18-24
CBC News· Posted: Sep 29, 2021 10:48 AM ET
An increase in cases of a rare heart condition in young adults who have received the COVID-19 Moderna vaccines has prompted Ontario to recommend the Pfizer-BioNTech shots for those aged 18 to 24 "out of an abundance of caution."
The province says the rise of myocarditis and pericarditis cases has been particularly observed among men in that age group. Between June and August, the province says the risk of myocarditis and pericarditis for men aged 18 to 24 following a second dose of Moderna was one in 5,000. There have been no fatalities.
"I'm not holding any facts back, there is a risk," said Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario's chief medical officer of health.
In comparison, the risk of myocarditis and pericarditis for people who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was one in 28,000.
However, Moore stressed that Moderna's elevated risk is "very mild" and that two of his three young sons are in the 18-24 age range and both received the vaccine with "no concerns."
"Moderna is an excellent product," he said. "I've complete confidence in in it"
The province's recommendation is preferential and people can still take the Moderna vaccine if they choose to.
The risk of a heart condition from the vaccine is still substantially lower than the risk of a heart condition should a person contract COVID-19, Moore explained.
Only two in every 100,000 people experience the side effect, Moore said. And they typically recover quickly with "simple over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen," he said. There have been no hospitalizations and no fatalities.
Meanwhile, Moore said 11 in every 100,000 people contract "moderate to severe" COVID-19 and "often end up needing hospitalization." He said that between 10 and 20 per cent of those people requiring hospitalization have heart inflammation.
While Moore said he had personal concerns that the province's recommendation might make some people even more vaccine hesitant, he felt it was necessary to build public trust.
"I hope the public will realize we're trying to be as transparent as possible."