The Science Behind Florida’s Recent Recommendation Against mRNA COVID Vaccines for Men 18–39

Conservative News DailyOctober 19, 2022

IN-BRIEF

Florida is the first state to recommend against mRNA COVID vaccination of children and men up to age 39, but it joins the UK, Sweden, and Denmark in some regards.

The Florida Department of Health conducted a self-controlled case series (SCCS) with a 25-week observation period, similar to an analysis done in the UK. The Florida study found an elevated risk of cardiac death among men ages 18 to 39 in the 28 days following mRNA COVID vaccination.

Medical literature shows myocarditis after COVID vaccination can be both immediate and severe, with rates as high as 1 in 1,862, for males ages 18–24.

There are several hypotheses about how the spike protein can cause this cardiac damage, particularly in young male populations. A worldwide registry of cases would help shed light on risk factors.

Worry about post-vaccination symptoms can create a negative feedback loop. Instead, try some of these management tips:

To manage anxiety, try taking a deep breath in (count to 4), hold for 4 counts, and slowly exhale for 8 counts. If you have a blood pressure cuff at home, try using biofeedback to watch your blood pressure come down using the same techniques. You will regain confidence in your body’s ability to regulate stress by asking the parasympathetic nervous system to turn off the alarms set off by the sympathetic nervous system.

While the recent guidance from Florida is rather shocking to some in the United States, it is reassuring to see that critical thinking is alive and well. Medicine is not stagnant, nor one-size-fits-all.

Florida surgeon general Joseph Ladapo, MD, PhD, announced on Oct. 7, 2022 that the state now recommends against mRNA COVID-19 vaccination of males ages 18 to 39 years given the results of a recent study which found an 84 percent increase in the risk of cardiac death among young adult males within 28 days of mRNA COVID-19 vaccination.

This follows guidance issued in March 2022 recommending against mRNA COVID-19 vaccination of healthy children and adolescents younger than 18. As such, Florida is the only U.S. state to recommend against mRNA vaccination of healthy children and adults, but it joins the U.K., Sweden, and Denmark in removing the recommendation to vaccinate healthy children younger than 11 years (UK) or 18 years (Sweden) and even 50 years (Denmark).

Dr. Ladapo encourages Floridians “to discuss all the potential benefits and risks of receiving mRNA COVID-19 vaccines with their health care provider.” People in Florida can opt to get their child vaccinated based upon their individual risk tolerance, and this guidance does not preclude families from seeking vaccination through pharmacies and physician offices if desired.

Why?

The Florida Department of Health conducted a self-controlled case series (SCCS) to evaluate the risk of all-cause death and cardiac death after vaccination. The SCCS is an established method employed frequently to assess vaccine-related adverse events. The advantage of this method is that matched controls are not necessary because each case