According to a COVID-19 vaccine benefit-risk assessment submitted to the Food and Drug Administration by Pfizer, estimates indicate that, on average, for every 189 hospitalizations of COVID-19 prevented by vaccinating 5-11 year-old children, 164 vaccinated boys will develop a case of myocarditis, a heart inflammation condition requiring emergency care with potential long-term side effects including abnormal heartbeat and sudden death.

Pfizer released only estimates on the rates of myocarditis amongst COVID-19 vaccinated 5-11 year olds using data from 12-15 year olds stating, “vaccine-associated myocarditis/pericarditis data is not available for this age group.” Pfizer stated they would be relying, in-part, on VAERS for passive reporting of post-authorization myocarditis and pericarditis. VAERS is the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, a passive reporting tool that medical providers are not required to submit reports to.

The pharmaceutical giant broke down their data estimate of myocarditis cases into different scenarios based on COVID-19 case infection rates at different dates in the past. In one scenario, for every 21 hospitalizations of COVID-19 prevented, 179 boys would develop a case of myocarditis, 98 boys would be hospitalized, and 57 boys would be admitted to ICU’s.

Children are not at serious risk for clinical infections of COVID-19 and just 177 children between the ages of 5-14 years-old have died a COVID-19-related death in the United States since January 1st, 2020, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control.

Pfizer appears to be preemptively attempting to resolve complications related to post-vaccination myocarditis in children. The benefit-risk assessment was included in an amendment from Pfizer that requested authorization for a change in the formulation of the vaccine for children. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine formulation for 5-11 year olds will include tromethamine. Tromethamine is a drug used for the treatment of metabolic acidosis after a cardiac arrest event, as noted in the FDA’s label for the drug.

Despite the risks to children, the Missoula City-County Health Department announced in an email today a marketing campaign called “parent education week” in anticipation of the final approval of the vaccine for 5-11 year olds.

One of the stated goals of the health department’s campaign is to “disarm disinformation” and the health department is asking individuals to report “disinformation” and share “legitimate” information from the health department saying, “If you see disinformation on social media report it and alert the person who shared it that it is false. Recommend legitimate information to them, such as content from the health department.”

The Missoula City-County Health Department disabled commenting on their Facebook page in September. After the change, we reached out to the health department COVID-19 Incident Commander Cindy Farr and Public Information Officer Hayley Devlin to find out why commenting had been disabled. The health department has not responded.

“The health department wants our community to make informed decisions about the health of our children—that’s easier to do when you are working with facts,” Health Officer D’Shane Barnett said in the email. “The health department is encouraging parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as possible — the data from the clinic trials show the vaccine is safe.”

In a media packet included in the health department’s marketing campaign, one image meant to be shared on social media reads, “COVID-19 is the 7th leading cause of death in children ages 5-11.” But CDC data shows that COVID-19 is beat out by cancer, vehicle accidents, suicide, homicide, cardiovascular disease, drowning, and flu as leading causes of death for children 5-14 years old. Only two of every million child deaths is COVID-19-related.

On Tuesday evening, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky gave the final approval for Pfizer’s vaccine for children 5-11 years old. The Missoula City-County Health Department will start offering vaccine appointments next week.