A major UK-wide study has revealed that children and young people who contract COVID‑19 face higher and longer-lasting risks of heart, vascular, and inflammatory conditions than those who receive the vaccine, reports News Medical.
The research analysed health records of nearly 14 million children under age 18 in England, covering the period from January 2020 through December 2022.
Vaccine safer than infection
The study found that after a first COVID-19 diagnosis, children’s risks for conditions such as myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), pericarditis (inflammation of the heart sac), thrombocytopenia (low platelet counts), and both arterial and venous thrombosis were highest in the first four weeks and remained elevated for up to 12 months. In contrast, after vaccination with the BNT162b2 (Pfizer–BioNTech) vaccine, the only significant increased risk seen was for myocarditis or pericarditis in the first four weeks—and this risk returned to baseline thereafter.
Quantitatively, the analysis suggests that for every 100,000 children and young people who were infected, there were approximately 2.24 extra cases of myocarditis or pericarditis over six months. By comparison, among those who were vaccinated, there were about 0.85 extra cases per 100,000 in the same period.
The authors emphasise that although these complications remain rare, the relative risk following infection is higher than following vaccination. They stress this information is critical for parents, carers and healthcare providers making decisions about children’s health. Using large-scale, whole-population data meant the team could capture very rare outcomes and compare infection and vaccination risks directly.
While confirming that vaccine-related risks are minimal and short-lived, the study also underscores the lasting risks posed by COVID-19 infection itself—especially as new variants arise and immunity evolves. The researchers therefore call for continued monitoring of health outcomes in children and young people.
The data support that for under-18s, the protective benefits of vaccination extend beyond preventing severe COVID-19 illness—they also help avoid higher and sustained risks of cardiovascular and inflammatory complications.
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Source: News Medical Life Sciences
