Military officials have lowered the number of myocarditis and pericarditis cases they say they’ve recorded among members after COVID-19 vaccination.
The U.S. Department of Defense has changed the number of post-vaccination heart inflammation cases it identified, the latest in a series of moves it has made to minimize side effects from the COVID-19 vaccines.
Ashish Vazirani, the acting under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said in a newly disclosed document that just 80 to 90 cases of myocarditis and/or pericarditis were identified following COVID-19 vaccination in members.
But in a report released in the fall, the military said that there had been 120 cases of myocarditis and/or pericarditis within 21 days of vaccination, as well as additional cases beyond 21 days after vaccination.
The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment.
The lowered number is the latest move in a pattern of the military downplaying side effects from the vaccines, which were mandated for members in 2021, even though data at the time showed the protection from them was waning.
The mandate was kept in place for all members, even those who recovered from COVID-19, despite studies emerging showing that the natural immunity those members enjoyed was superior to vaccination. The mandate was rescinded this year under a law passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden, who supported and imposed vaccine mandates.
Myocarditis, or heart inflammation, and pericarditis, a related condition, were identified as adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination shortly after the vaccines were rolled out. They have since been established as side effects of the shots. There was a spike of myocarditis in the military in 2021, the first full year of the rollout, the military confirmed over the summer.
Mr. Vazirani said in the newly disclosed document, a letter to Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) dated Oct. 11 and just made public, that, “It is difficult to report precise numbers of adverse events following immunization since establishing a causal relationship between vaccination and a clinical diagnosis can be challenging.” Then, he claimed that no more than 90 cases of myocarditis and/or pericarditis had been identified among members.
By Zachary Stieber
