Vaccine Side Effects vs. COVID-19 Damage? There’s No Comparison

• Experts say that the mild and rare side effects from COVID-19 vaccines are nowhere near as serious as the potential damage the disease itself can cause.
• They say that the long-term consequences of COVID-19 can include increased risk of stroke, lung damage, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.
• They add that there have been reports of rare cases of Bell’s palsy developing from COVID-19 vaccines but that the rate appears to be lower than that of the general population.

Which would you rather have: muscle fatigue or permanent lung damage?

Would you prefer mild, short-term inflammation around the heart or severe damage to that organ that could lead to heart failure?

Would you rather have moderate pain in your upper arm for a few days or increase the possibility of developing Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease?

These are just a few examples of the stark contrast between the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines and developing the disease itself.

While the vaccines’ side effects are mild and short, the damage caused by COVID-19 can be long lasting and even fatal.

As of this week, more than 330 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the United States, and nearly 158 million people here are now fully vaccinated.

So far, the most common physical reactions to the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, nausea, sore throat, diarrhea, and vomiting.

There have been some reports of rare but more serious side effects from the vaccines.

In late June, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that there’s a rare but “likely association” between the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccines and a higher risk of heart inflammation, particularly in adolescents and young adults.

These include cases of myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis, which is inflammation of the outer lining of the heart.

In both, the body’s immune system causes inflammation in response to an infection or some other trigger.

Through follow-up, including medical record reviews, CDC and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials have confirmed 518 reports of myocarditis or pericarditis.

But these conditions have produced mild cases, with no deaths or lingering issues reported.

The people who develop these conditions usually return to normal daily activities in just a few days when their symptoms improve, but they’re advised by CDC officials to speak with their doctor about returning to exercise or sports.

The CDC continues to recommend COVID-19 vaccinations for everyone 12 years old and older, given the risk of COVID-19 illness and related, possibly severe complications.

Dr. Stuart Berger, a pediatric cardiologist and medical director of the pediatric Heart Center at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, told Healthline that the vaccines are quite safe.

The heart inflammation tends to occur in men ages 16 to 24. Berger noted that the CDC is looking at some 500 cases out of more than 170 million vaccinated people in that adolescent and young adult demographic.

“That puts it at .00025 percent. That is very rare,” he said. “From what we know, it is actually less common than myocarditis in the general population.”