No evidence COVID-19 vaccines are linked to athletes collapsing or dying from myocarditis
Last updated on: 30 November,2021 03:41 pm
No evidence COVID-19 vaccines are linked to athletes collapsing or dying from myocarditis
(Reuters) - Refiling to correct spelling of Christian Eriksen’s name
There is no evidence currently that COVID-19 vaccines are linked to an increase in sportspeople collapsing or dying due to heart issues such as myocarditis.
Numerous montage videos showing sports stars collapsing or suffering chest pains during matches are circulating on social media (here, here).
One clip shared on Facebook (here) shows several incidents of football players collapsing on the pitch. It also includes news headlines about similar cases from around the world of sport, both professional and amateur.
Another post (here) includes a link to a blog (here) which strongly suggests the incidents are related to COVID-19 vaccines.
Reuters presented the posts to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the British regulator for drugs and vaccines, which said there is currently no supporting evidence to back up such claims.
MHRA chief executive Dr June Raine said: “The MHRA closely monitors the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines, including reports of suspected heart inflammation, myocarditis or pericarditis.
“Myocarditis or pericarditis remains a very rare potential risk with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and the events reported are typically mild with individuals usually recovering within a short time with standard treatment and rest. The current evidence does not suggest that sporting exercise is a contributing risk for these very rare events.
“The public’s safety is our top priority. Our advice remains thatâ