Big Cities Health Coalition Issues Joint-Statement with Nation’s Leading Doctors, Nurses and Public Health Organizations on Benefits of Vaccination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 23, 2021         

CONTACT: Max Mays, mays@bigcitieshealth.org

Washington, D.C. — The following statement has been co-signed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American College of Physicians (ACP), American Heart Association, American Hospital Association (AHA), American Medical Association (AMA), American Nurses Association (ANA), American Public Health Association (APHA), Association of Public Health Laboratories, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), Big Cities Health Coalition, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO):

“As physicians, nurses, public health and health care professionals, and, for many of us, parents, we understand the significant interest many Americans have in the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, especially for younger people. Today, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met to discuss the latest data on reports of mild cases of inflammation of the heart muscle and surrounding tissue called myocarditis and pericarditis following COVID-19 vaccination among younger people.

“The facts are clear: this is an extremely rare side effect, and only an exceedingly small number of people will experience it after vaccination. Importantly, for the young people who do, most cases are mild, and individuals recover often on their own or with minimal treatment. In addition, we know that myocarditis and pericarditis are much more common if you get COVID-19, and the risks to the heart from COVID-19 infection can be more severe.  

“The vaccines are safe and effective, and they prevent COVID-19 illness. They will help protect you and your family and keep your community safe. We strongly encourage everyone age 12 and older who are eligible to receive the vaccine under Emergency Use Authorization to get vaccinated, as the benefits of vaccination far outweigh any harm. Especially with the troubling Delta variant increasingly circulating, and more readily impacting younger people, the risks of being unvaccinated are far greater than any rare side effects from the vaccines. If you get COVID-19, you could get severely ill and be hospitalized or even die. Even if your infection is mild, you or your child could face long-term symptoms following COVID-19 infection such as neurological problems or diminished lung function.”

“We recommend getting vaccinated right away if you haven’t yet. It is the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones, your community, and to return to a more normal lifestyle safely and quickly.”

Dr. Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Dr. Ada Stewart, MD, FAAFP, President, American Academy of Family Physicians

Dr. Lee Savio Beers, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics

Dr. Maureen G. Phipps, MD, MPH, FACOG, Chief Executive Officer, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Dr. George M. Abraham, MD, MPH, FACP, FIDSA, President, American College of Physicians

Dr. Mitchell S. V. Elkind, M.D., M.S., FAAN, FAHA, President, American Heart Association

Richard J. Pollack, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Hospital Association

Dr. Gerald E. Harmon, M.D., President, American Medical Association

Dr. Ernest J. Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN, President, American Nurses Association

Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, MD, Executive Director, American Public Health Association

Scott J. Becker, MS, Chief Executive Officer, Association of Public Health Laboratories

Dr. Michael Fraser, PhD, CAE, FCPP, Chief Executive Officer, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials

Chrissie Juliano, MPP, Executive Director, Big Cities Health Coalition

Janet Hamilton, MPH, Executive Director, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists

Dr. Barbara D. Alexander, MD, MHS, FIDSA, President, Infectious Diseases Society of America

Lori Tremmel Freeman, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of County and City Health Officials

For more information and resources on this rare side effect, visit CDC’s website here.

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About the Big Cities Health Coalition

The Big Cities Health Coalition (BCHC) is a forum for the leaders of America’s largest metropolitan health departments to exchange strategies and jointly address issues to promote and protect the health and safety of their residents. Collectively, BCHC member jurisdictions directly impact nearly 62 million people, or one in five Americans. For more information, visit https://www.bigcitieshealth.org.