The pause on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine needs to be lifted, an skilled advisory committee to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention mentioned Friday.
The advice by the CDC committee, known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, must be authorized by the CDC and the Meals and Drug Administration earlier than changing into official authorities coverage.
The FDA is predicted to make an announcement later Friday relating to warnings it could add to the vaccine’s authorization. The CDC would then design public communication supplies associated to the change.
The vaccine was paused after stories of a uncommon mixture of blood clots and low ranges of platelets inside two weeks of vaccination in six girls out of the greater than 7 million People who not too long ago acquired the J&J shot, and one man from an earlier medical trial. One of many girls died, and one other is hospitalized in important situation.
Earlier this week, CDC head Rochelle Walensky mentioned whereas the company has obtained extra stories of medical situations, it was nonetheless investigating whether or not they had been linked to the photographs, and was not listening to a few substantial variety of new instances.
Additionally within the information:
► Greater than 40% of People have been no less than partially vaccinated, rating the U.S. close to the highest in vaccination charges, Our World In Information stories. This comes as Michigan’s coronavirus case charge has begun to fall, dropping 12.5% over the final week, suggesting the state’s third surge — the worst within the U.S. — could also be waning.
► The Biden administration introduced Friday it should open two mass vaccination websites in Kentucky with a mixed capability of seven,000 photographs every week.
►Two impartial research discovered the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to be efficient in stopping critical sickness and loss of life from the New York variants, the New York Occasions reported.
►Researchers within the U.Okay. discovered two instances of human-to-cat transmission of the coronavirus, in accordance with the Guardian. However their research confirmed no proof of individuals being contaminated by their pets, the Guardian reported.
►Amid a surge in new coronavirus variant instances, Japan declared a third state of emergency Friday, which is able to start Sunday and final till Could 11 to discourage vacation touring. Whereas the Olympics committee reaffirmed its willpower to carry the summer time video games, with the committee president anticipated to go to the nation mid-Could, a majority of the general public have supported canceling or additional postponement.
►The California State College and College of California programs collectively introduced Thursday they may each require all college students and employees returning for on-campus lessons and actions to be totally vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19. The requirement, nonetheless, is not going to take impact till a number of of the vaccines receives full approval from the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration. UMass Amherst additionally reportedly joined the rising variety of faculties requiring college students to be vaccinated this fall.
►South Africa will resume the administration of Johnson & Johnson photographs to well being care staff subsequent week.
►COVID-19 hospitalizations amongst older People have plunged greater than 70% because the begin of the yr, and deaths amongst them seem to have tumbled as effectively, dramatic proof the vaccination marketing campaign is working.
📈 Right now’s numbers: The U.S. has practically 31.9 million confirmed coronavirus instances and greater than 570,900 deaths, in accordance with Johns Hopkins College information. The worldwide totals: Greater than 145 million instances and three million deaths. Practically 282.2 million vaccine doses have been distributed within the U.S. and virtually 219 million have been administered, in accordance with the CDC.
📘 What we’re studying: As states develop COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to permit photographs for 16- and 17-year-olds, teenagers in rural America could have bother getting them. Learn extra right here.
Maintain refreshing this web page for the newest updates. Need extra? Join our Coronavirus Watch publication for updates to your inbox and be a part of our Fb group.
CDC recommends pregnant individuals get vaccinated
The CDC is recommending pregnant individuals obtain COVID-19 vaccinations.
Walensky introduced the advice throughout an replace on the pandemic at a White Home briefing. She famous a CDC research revealed this week discovered no security considerations with Moderna and Pfizer vaccinations given throughout the third trimester of being pregnant.
‘”We all know that this can be a deeply private choice, and I encourage individuals to speak to their medical doctors or main care suppliers to find out what’s greatest for them and for his or her child,” Walensky mentioned.
Her suggestion appears to go farther than recommendation on CDC’s web site, which says the vaccines are unlikely to pose a security threat throughout being pregnant however doesn’t flat-out advocate the photographs.
US borders with Canada, Mexico to stay closed to nonessential journey into Could
The USA’ land borders with Canada and Mexico will stay restricted to nonessential journey by way of no less than Could 21, in accordance with the Division of Homeland Safety.
“To discourage the unfold of #COVID19 and defend our residents, america is continuous restrictions on non-essential journey at our land borders by way of Could 21, whereas sustaining the movement of important commerce and journey as we’ve for over a yr,” DHS introduced by way of tweet.
The company continued: “We’re guided by science and public well being information and engaged in discussions with Canada and Mexico about easing restrictions as well being situations enhance.”
DHS and its Canadian and Mexican counterparts enacted the preliminary closure on March 21, 2020, because the coronavirus pandemic started to unfold all through North America. It has been prolonged on a month-to-month foundation since then.
– Jayme Deerwester and Julia Thompson
White Home expects vaccination charges to ‘reasonable and fluctuate’
The U.S. is vaccinating a mean of practically 3 million individuals a day, however White Home COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients mentioned he expects every day vaccination charges within the U.S. to “reasonable and fluctuate” going ahead.
“We’ve gotten vaccinations to probably the most at-risk and people most desirous to get vaccinated as shortly as attainable,” Zients mentioned in a activity pressure briefing Friday, including, “We all know reaching different populations will take time and focus.”
About 90% of all People reside inside 5 miles of a vaccination website, Zients mentioned, and the U.S. can have sufficient vaccine provide by the top of Could for each grownup who needs one.
About 80% of People 65 and older now have no less than one shot, Zients mentioned. As of Friday, 66% of People age 65 and older are totally vaccinated, Walensky, the CDC director, mentioned. “We’re effectively on our technique to have one in every of our most susceptible populations totally protected in opposition to this lethal virus, and that could be a cause to have fun,” she mentioned.
Nonetheless, there are “some unsettling gaps in our protection,” Walensky mentioned. “Whereas we’ve many causes to have fun, we even have the potential, certainly the necessity to do extra to guard individuals now.”
As a part of its vaccine public schooling initiative, the White Home introduced a “We Can Do This: Stay” marketing campaign to attach individuals on social media to trusted data by pairing influencers with well being professionals.
Surgeon Normal Dr. Vivek Murthy mentioned actresses Eva Longoriaand Olivia Holt; personalities Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest; Barbara Corcoran and Mark Cuban of Shark Tank; Walter Kim, president of the Nationwide Affiliation of Evangelicals; NASCAR; the NBA and the WNBA have signed on to the marketing campaign.
“To actually flip this pandemic round requires greater than authorities motion. It’s going to require every of us to take motion as effectively,” Murthy mentioned. “We now have to resolve who we’re as a rustic. Are we 300 million individuals who occur to reside in the identical place? Or are we fellow People who acknowledge we’re stronger once we look after and defend each other?”
India tries to fulfill want for oxygen provides amid document new instances, deaths
With hospitals in India pleading with the federal government on social media to replenish their oxygen provides and threatening to cease contemporary admissions of sufferers, the federal government put oxygen tankers on particular specific trains to avoid wasting COVID-19 sufferers who’re struggling to breathe.
“We now have ramped up the manufacturing as oxygen consumption is rising by way of the roof,” mentioned Saket Tiku, president of the All India Industrial Gases Producers Affiliation. “However we’ve limitations and the largest problem proper now could be transporting it to the place it is urgently wanted.”
India is seeing the world’s worst coronavirus surge, setting a grim document for every day infections for a second straight day with 332,730. India has confirmed 16 million instances to this point and recorded 2,263 deaths prior to now 24 hours. Including to the deaths, a hearth in Mumbai, India, killed 13 COVID-19 sufferers early Friday when an air con unit exploded in a hospital’s ICU.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s high epidemiologist, known as the scenario in India “dire” in a White Home activity pressure briefing Friday. “We’re attempting to assist in any manner we will,” Fauci mentioned, including, “I believe what that is telling us, in Africa and in India, that when you have got a world pandemic it’s a world pandemic, and there are not any nations which might be actually secure from it.”
As wealthy nations purchase extra vaccine doses, poor nations battle to vaccinate, research exhibits
The world’s richest nations have collectively purchased 1 billion extra doses than their residents want, in accordance with a research by the worldwide advocacy group ONE. The remainder of the world has solely been in a position to safe 2.5 billion doses — not sufficient to vaccinate their populations.
Some are calling on the U.S. to share doses with different nations, like India, which reported a world one-day document of greater than 332,700 new infections Friday as a coronavirus surge on the earth’s second-most populous nation overwhelms a fragile well being care system critically wanting hospital beds and oxygen.
The Biden administration has mentioned it should share surplus coronavirus vaccine doses with Canada and Mexico. Requested Friday about sharing vaccine with India, Zients, the White Home COVID-19 response coordinator, mentioned: “We’re dedicated to sharing vaccine provide as our confidence round our provide will increase.”
“It is a world pandemic, and India demonstrates the chance of what can occur if we don’t get the pandemic below management all over the place,” Zients mentioned.
CDC investigating girl’s loss of life after J&J vaccine
Oregon well being officers mentioned Thursday that federal officers are investigating the loss of life of a girl in her 50s who developed a uncommon blood clot and low platelets inside two weeks of receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in opposition to COVID-19.
Federal officers already had been analyzing six stories of the bizarre clots, together with a loss of life, out of extra 8 million People given the one-dose vaccination to this point.
The lady developed a “uncommon however critical blood clot together with very low platelets,” the Oregon Well being Authority mentioned in an announcement.
Texas well being officers additionally say the U.S. authorities has reported {that a} Texas girl is hospitalized with attainable blood clots related to Johnson and Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine.
The announcement by Texas quotes the FDA and CDC as saying the grownup girl has “signs that seem like in step with these few different reported instances” of a uncommon blood clotting dysfunction developed after receiving the J&J vaccine. No different data is being launched, due to affected person privateness and confidentiality.
Contributing: Elizabeth Weise, Karen Weintraub and Nada Hassanein, USA TODAY; The Related Press
