Major COVID vaccine study finds heart risks are rare — the real threat is being unvaccinated

Malik Jaffer, lead nurse, prepares a syringe with a Covid-19 vaccine, at the Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ, the site of the Ward 4 DC Covid Center, in Washington, D.C. on March 31, 2023. (Eric Lee for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Salon
Even while the COVID-19 vaccines have been hailed as one of the greatest achievements in modern science, they have been swirled in misinformation perpetuated by anti-vaccine figures and organizations who question their efficacy and robust safety record. The shots have even been wrongly blamed for high-profile health events, like when LeBron "Bronny" James Jr. suffered a cardiac arrest during practice. While research has shown that a COVID-19 infection is linked to an increased risk in myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle, how — and if — that translates to causation from vaccines has been widely taken out of context.

But now, a new study, published in the journal Vaccine, examined the potential health effects of the coronavirus vaccines. In its international attempt to separate fact from fiction, scientists have found that there are some links between the vaccines and adverse health effects to be aware of — but more research is needed to land on any definitive conclusions. MORE