The largest study conducted by British scientists, published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health journal, found that COVID-19 infection in children and young people leads to a longer and higher risk of cardiac and inflammatory complications than vaccination.
The study, which analyzed the electronic health records of nearly 14 million children under the age of 18, is the largest ever conducted on this population.
The scientists discovered that the risks of rare complications (such as myocarditis, pericarditis, and thrombosis) following a COVID-19 diagnosis were high in the first four weeks, and for several conditions, the increased risk persisted for up to 12 months compared to children who had not had the virus.
In contrast to infection, COVID-19 vaccination (Pfizer–BioNTech) was associated with only a short-term increased risk of developing myocarditis and pericarditis, which manifested within the first four weeks, after which the risk returned to baseline levels.
According to the study, it was found that:
- COVID-19 infection resulted in 2.24 additional cases of myocarditis and pericarditis per 100,000 children.
- COVID-19 vaccination resulted in only 0.85 additional cases per 100,000 children.
The study authors note that these results will help families and healthcare professionals make informed decisions based on a comparison of the risks associated with infection and vaccination.
