Amid a host of safety concerns regarding Covid-19 vaccines, CDC has doubled down on what it says is the need for more people to get vaccinated, including young people.
Many other countries have limited the population recommended for Covid-19 vaccines due to various health concerns. In the U.S., the government has added a warning to the Johnson and Johnson vaccine after considering cases of blood clots after vaccination. The Astra Zeneca vaccine, not currently approved in the U.S., has been extremely limited or banned in some countries after reports of serious side effects.
After considering a higher than expected rate of heart inflammation in young people after the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, CDC released a statement from “nation’s leading doctors, nurses, and public health leaders” marketing the vaccines and urging people to get vaccinated.
“We recommend getting vaccinated right away if you haven’t yet. It is the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones, your community, and to return to a more normal lifestyle safely and quickly,” reads the statement, in part.
Other scientists have cautioned against use of Covid-19 vaccines, particularly for those who are at a near-“zero” risk of serous complications from getting Covid-19. Researchers say a growing number of Americans have become immune from Covid-19 through natural infection even, in some cases, without realizing they fought it off because they had no symptoms.
Scientists say most people who get Covid-19 will have few symptoms or none at all.
For some people, particularly the elderly and obese, Covid-19 has proven deadly.
Read the entire CDC statement below.
Statement Following CDC ACIP Meeting from Nation’s Leading Doctors, Nurses and Public Health Leaders on Benefits of Vaccination |
| The following statement has been co-signed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American College of Physicians (ACP), American Heart Association, American Hospital Association (AHA), American Medical Association (AMA), American Nurses Association (ANA), American Public Health Association (APHA), Association of Public Health Laboratories, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), Big Cities Health Coalition, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO): “As physicians, nurses, public health and health care professionals, and, for many of us, parents, we understand the significant interest many Americans have in the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, especially for younger people. Today, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met to discuss the latest data on reports of mild cases of inflammation of the heart muscle and surrounding tissue called myocarditis and pericarditis following COVID-19 vaccination among younger people. “The facts are clear: this is an extremely rare side effect, and only an exceedingly small number of people will experience it after vaccination. Importantly, for the young people who do, most cases are mild, and individuals recover often on their own or with minimal treatment. In addition, we know that myocarditis and pericarditis are much more commonif you get COVID-19, and the risks to the heart from COVID-19 infection can be more severe. “The vaccines are safe and effective, and they prevent COVID-19 illness. They will help protect you and your family and keep your community safe. We strongly encourage everyone age 12 and older who are eligible to receive the vaccine under Emergency Use Authorization to get vaccinated, as the benefits of vaccination far outweigh any harm. Especially with the troubling Delta variant increasingly circulating, and more readily impacting younger people, the risks of being unvaccinated are far greater than any rare side effects from the vaccines. If you get COVID-19, you could get severely ill and be hospitalized or even die. Even if your infection is mild, you or your child could face long-term symptoms following COVID-19 infection such as neurological problems or diminished lung function.” “We recommend getting vaccinated right away if you haven’t yet. It is the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones, your community, and to return to a more normal lifestyle safely and quickly.” Dr. Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesDr. Rochelle Walensky, Director, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and PreventionDr. Ada Stewart, MD, FAAFP, President, American Academy of Family PhysiciansDr. Lee Savio Beers, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of PediatricsDr. Maureen G. Phipps, MD, MPH, FACOG, Chief Executive Officer, American College of Obstetricians and GynecologistsDr. George M. Abraham, MD, MPH, FACP, FIDSA, President, American College of PhysiciansDr. Mitchell S. V. Elkind, M.D., M.S., FAAN, FAHA, President, American Heart AssociationRichard J. Pollack, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Hospital AssociationDr. Gerald E. Harmon, M.D., President, American Medical AssociationDr. Ernest J. Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN, President, American Nurses AssociationDr. Georges C. Benjamin, MD, Executive Director, American Public Health AssociationScott J. Becker, MS, Chief Executive Officer, Association of Public Health LaboratoriesDr. Michael Fraser, PhD, CAE, FCPP, Chief Executive Officer, Association of State and Territorial Health OfficialsChrissie Juliano, MPP, Executive Director, Big Cities Health CoalitionJanet Hamilton, MPH, Executive Director, Council of State and Territorial EpidemiologistsDr. Barbara D. Alexander, MD, MHS, FIDSA, President, Infectious Diseases Society of AmericaLori Tremmel Freeman, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of County and City Health Officials For more information and resources on this rare side effect, visit CDC’s websitehere. |
