The Ministry of Health updated this evening (Tuesday) that there is a probable link between receiving the second dose of the coronavirus vaccine and the occurrence of myocarditis among young people.
The announcement comes after an expanded epidemiological team was established to examine a possible link between the events and the vaccine.
According to the extended team's conclusion, there is a likelihood of a link between the vaccine and the phenomenon among young men aged 16-30. The link was even stronger among those aged 16-19 than among other ages.
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
It also appears that the connection weakens with increasing age.
In most cases, it is a mild illness that passes within a few days.
According to the Ministry of Health, from December 2020 to May 2021, 275 cases of myocarditis were reported, of which 148 were in close proximity to vaccination. 27 of the cases were in close proximity to receiving the first dose and 121 cases were in close proximity to receiving the second dose.
Most cases were hospitalized for only up to 4 days and 95% is defined as a mild illness.
The Ministry of Health's expanded epidemiological team that examined the connection between the phenomenon and receiving the vaccine included 3 professional teams:
Team 1 - Public health experts from the Epidemiology Division, Team 2 - Experts from the National Center for Disease Control and Team 3 - Experts from academia (representatives of Tel Aviv University, Haifa University and the Technion).
The three teams of experts conducted an in-depth epidemiological examination and worked together as part of the process of analyzing the morbidity surveillance data and findings.
The recommendation to expand the vaccine to teenagers aged 12-15 will be discussed within the framework of the epidemic treatment team discussions and will be forwarded to the Director General of the Ministry of Health for his decision.
""Once the decision is made, we will inform the public," the Health Ministry says.
