Unvaccinated have higher risk of myocarditis due to COVID-19 — expert

A student of the City College of San Fernando in Pampanga province gets vaccinated against COVID-19. (Photo from the City of San Fernando government)

MANILA, Philippines — A vaccine expert on Wednesday said persons who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 have four to eight chances of getting myocarditis.

Myocarditis is the inflammation of the heart muscles and can happen after a viral infection such as COVID-19.

“If you are unvaccinated, four times to eight times higher risk of myocarditis from COVID-19 infection in all ages,” said Dr. Wilda Silva, Department of Health National Immunization Program Manager, during a media forum.

“So that’s 10 times higher risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 infection if you are unvaccinated,” she added.

However, if the person received an anti-COVID shot, the risk is “extremely low.”

“But if you receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the overall risk of myocarditis is extremely low. It’s one in 200,000 population,” Silva said.

“Younger males, 12 to 29 years old, have a slightly higher risk but still very low, one in 14,000. For females… 12 to 29 years old have a much lower risk compared to their male counterpart. It’s less than one in 100,000 population,” she further explained.

The chance of having myocarditis among younger males is equivalent to the chance of being struck by lightning in one’s lifetime, said Silva.

She encouraged the public to get a COVID-19 vaccine to keep their heart safer in case of infection.

To date, around 61 million individuals are fully vaccinated in the country.

/MUF