State surgeon general recommends against COVID-19 mRNA vaccines for males ages 18 to 39

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo now is recommending against the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines for males ages 18-39 years old.

The new guidance comes after a Florida Department of Health-conducted analysis. This studied mortality risk following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. This analysis found there is an 84% increase in the relative incidence of cardiac-related death among males 18 to 39 years old within 28 days following mRNA vaccination.

“Studying the safety and efficacy of any medications, including vaccines, is an important component of public health,” Ladapo said. “Far less attention has been paid to safety and the concerns of many individuals have been dismissed — these are important findings that should be communicated to Floridians.”

With a high level of global immunity to COVID-19, the benefit of vaccination is likely outweighed by this abnormally high risk of cardiac-related death among men in this age group. Non-mRNA vaccines were not found to have these increased risks. Individuals with preexisting cardiac conditions, such as myocarditis and pericarditis, should take particular caution when considering vaccination and discuss with their health care provider.

Individuals and health care providers should also be aware this analysis found:

• Males over age 60 had a 10% increased risk of cardiac-related death within 28 days of mRNA vaccination.
• Non-mRNA vaccines were not found to have these increased risks among any population.

Floridians are encouraged to discuss all the potential benefits and risks of receiving mRNA COVID-19 vaccines with their health care provider. The risk associated with mRNA vaccination should be weighed against the risk associated with COVID-19 infection.

The department continues to stand by its Guidance for Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccines issued March 2022, which recommends against use in healthy children and adolescents 5 years old to 17 years old. This now includes recommendations against COVID-19 vaccination among infants and children under 5 years old, which has since been issued under Emergency Use Authorization.

The analysis can be found here.