Heart Inflammation Risk Higher From Moderna Vaccine Than COVID-19 for Those Under 40: Study

Syringes with Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine sit on a tray in a vaccination center in London on Dec. 4, 2021. Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images

The risk of developing a form of heart inflammation is higher for people younger than 40 after receiving Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine than it is from contracting COVID-19, according to a new study.

Researchers found 15 excess cases per 1 million people who received a second dose of the vaccine compared to 10 extra cases of myocarditis following a positive COVID-19 test. Moderna’s vaccine is typically taken in a two-dose regimen.