Elon Musk suggested that the COVID vaccine might have been a factor in USC star Bronny James experiencing a cardiac arrest while working out for basketball in Los Angeles on Monday.
Elon Musk Sparked Outrage After Claiming Link Between COVID Vaccine and Bronny James’ Cardiac Arrest
Bronny James reportedly passed out during a basketball workout at the University of Southern California, his family confirmed to DailyMail. He is the 18-year-old son of Lakers star LeBron James.
As of Tuesday, he was in stable condition at a hospital in the Los Angeles area, NY Post reported. He has been has been released from the ICU, according to DailyMail.
‘We cannot ascribe everything to the vaccine, but, by the same token, we cannot ascribe nothing,’ Musk replied to a media report on Tuesday.
‘Myocarditis is a known side-effect. The only question is whether it is rare or common,’ Musk’s tweet continued.
After Musk’s tweet, a wave of online anger emerged, with many people condemning the platform’s CEO for promoting conspiracy theories about vaccines.
One Twitter commenter added: ‘You are a dad – would you want folks speculating on stuff about any of your children – no way – pray that Bronny is okay and don’t let folks promote any cause at all – tell folks to pray for Bronny and his family.
The incident was considered very serious, marked as a Code 3, which requires ambulance lights and sirens.
This is the second time USC medical staff responded to a basketball player’s cardiac arrest during practice, as reported by the LA Times.
Last summer, Vince Iwuchukwu collapsed at practice but was revived by USC athletic trainers. He made an impressive comeback, returning to basketball after six months.
No Credible Evidence Found Linking Vaccine to James’ Cardiac Arrest
There is no credible evidence that the COVID vaccine caused James to have a cardiac arrest during his workout on Monday, Insider reported.
Usually, vaccine-related myocarditis causes mild chest pain and sometimes shortness of breath, resolving within a few days. It’s important to note that young men are at higher risk of experiencing more severe myocarditis if they contract COVID-19, the disease itself.
James’ heart stopping on the court could have happened due to numerous other reasons.
“There are a number of causes for sudden cardiac arrest in athletes who are 35 and younger,” Dr. John Higgins, a sports cardiologist for the Houston Rockets basketball team, said previously in an article shared by UTHealth Houston. “Sometimes it can just be a normal heart at the wrong place and the wrong time.”
The leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest among young athletes in the US is a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This condition is often due to genetics and results in the heart struggling to take in or pump out enough blood efficiently.
