>>60767075 (OP)
Data Validity:
These exact numbers (especially “4” cases in both 2019 and 2020) do not match official CDC or medical surveillance data, where myocarditis incidence is higher even in non-pandemic years.
The 2,236 figure for 2021 might be drawn from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) or a similar passive reporting system, which records unverified reports and cannot directly establish cause and effect.
Epidemiologists generally compare rates per 100,000 people, adjusted for diagnostic changes, reporting practices, and background rates, rather than raw counts.
COVID-19 infection itself also increases myocarditis risk, and 2021 saw massive COVID surges among all age groups.
The shirt uses a stark jump in myocarditis numbers to make an emotional appeal, but without context—such as population size, baseline rates, and cause attribution—the figures can be misleading. It may lead people to believe vaccines are solely responsible, though research shows both COVID-19 infection and vaccination can increase risk, with infection generally posing a higher overall threat. Ultimately, it’s protest apparel meant to provoke conversation and controversy rather than provide a full epidemiological picture.
