New study finds COVID-19 infection poses greater heart risk to children than vaccines

A large-scale UK study has found that children face a far greater risk of heart inflammation from catching COVID-19 than from receiving the vaccine.

Published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, the study analysed medical records of nearly 14 million children under 18 between 2020 and 2022. It revealed that while a small number developed heart conditions such as myocarditis or pericarditis after infection, the risk of such complications was “substantially lower” following Pfizer vaccination.

Paediatrician Dr. Michelle Scoullar of the Burnet Institute said the risk of heart inflammation after vaccination was about half that of COVID infection. “Repeated infection with COVID-19 is common for children, and this study shows vaccination substantially decreases that risk — even in mild cases. That’s an important reassurance for parents,” she said.

Emerging infectious disease expert Professor Raina MacIntyre from the University of New South Wales added that the research reinforces the safety and effectiveness of mRNA vaccines. “This study confirms that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and reduce serious complications. The risk-benefit clearly favours vaccination for children,” she noted.

She urged Australian health authorities to reconsider current vaccine policies, which do not recommend COVID-19 vaccination for most children unless they are immunocompromised. “It’s inexplicable that we deny vaccination to children,” she said, warning that long COVID poses additional risks.

Mater Health Services infectious disease expert Professor Paul Griffin also supported revisiting vaccination guidelines, saying the study offers strong evidence that vaccines are relatively safe and help reduce severe COVID-related complications among children.