For patients and families
COVID-19 and cardiac patients
We recognise that parents and guardians are understandably concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on their children who have underlying cardiac conditions.
Almost all children and young people are at very low risk from COVID-19 symptoms. Children are less likely to have severe disease, need admission to hospital or die from COVID-19. New strains of COVID-19 have seen more children and young people infected with the majority having mild illness.
Children with more severe cardiac conditions are generally more susceptive to respiratory infections. COVID-19 infection may pose a risk to our patients, but based on evidence, this risk remains generally low.
Vaccination
Our advice, along with advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), is that children with the following cardiac conditions should receive COVID-19 vaccination:
- Congenital heart disease (pre or post repair)
- Cyanotic congenital heart disease / Fontan circulation
- Cardiomyopathy / heart transplant
- Idiopathic pulmonary hypertension
- Arrhythmias
- Immunocompromised/immunosuppressed patients with congenital heart disease
- Prior Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Prior myocarditis/pericarditis/endocarditis (>6 months prior).
mRNA vaccinations (Pfizer and Moderna) should be deferred in anyone with active cardiac inflammation.
Myocarditis and pericarditis (inflammatory conditions of the heart) are extremely rare complications of mRNA vaccines. These conditions have generally been mild, self-limited and easily treated.
Any children or young people who experience an event such as myocarditis or pericarditis should be reported to the WA Vaccine Safety Surveillance System (WAVSS).
Children with high risk conditions
Children who have higher risk conditions should adhere to standard infection control precautions for preventing transmission, no additional precautions are required.
More information
Please follow these links for updated information regarding COVID-19 infection and vaccination: