A pause on using the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine ought to proceed till extra is thought a few uncommon vaccine aspect impact, a federal advisory committee determined Wednesday.
The committee will meet once more inside every week to ten days to guage extra information that’s anticipated to turn out to be accessible.
The extraordinarily uncommon blood clots have been reported in seven of the 7.2 million Individuals who’ve gotten the J&J vaccine. The current six circumstances had been reported in ladies ages 18 to 48, and signs occurred six to 13 days after vaccination. One lady died and three remained hospitalized.
There was some concern the pause may hurt these most in want of the vaccine as J&J solely requires one shot and is less complicated to retailer and transport than the opposite two approved vaccines. However the committee famous persevering with the pause wouldn’t considerably have an effect on the power to vaccinate Individuals.
The J&J vaccine up to now makes up lower than 5% of pictures administered in the USA. The 2 different vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna haven’t had such results.
Additionally within the information:
►The elements of the U.S. which are excelling and people which are fighting vaccinations are beginning to appear like the nation’s political map: deeply divided between pink and blue states. Individuals in “blue states” that lean Democratic look like getting vaccinated at extra sturdy charges, whereas these in “pink” Republican states appear to be extra hesitant.
►California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration stated Wednesday that the entire state’s faculties ought to reopen when the brand new tutorial 12 months begins subsequent fall, although his tips stay merely an expectation slightly than a mandate.
►Michigan well being director Elizabeth Hertel traveled with household to Alabama for spring break final week regardless of her division’s steerage to keep away from out-of-state journey whereas Michigan suffers a raging coronavirus outbreak.
►Puerto Rico broke its report for circumstances in every week and Michigan had its second worse week but over the final seven days, in response to Johns Hopkins College information. Thirty-nine states noticed an increase in circumstances from the earlier seven-day interval.
►Attendance at Saturday’s funeral for Britain’s Prince Philip might be restricted to 30 mourners due to present coronavirus restrictions in England. Queen Elizabeth could also be required to sit down alone, and friends should be spaced 6 toes aside.
►Russian President Vladimir Putin stated Wednesday that he has obtained his second COVID-19 vaccine shot, three weeks after the primary dose. The Kremlin wouldn’t reveal which of the three Russian-developed vaccines the president has taken.
►Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte has issued an govt order banning the event or use of vaccine passports in Montana.
►German well being authorities are recommending that folks youthful than 60 who’ve already obtained one shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine use a unique vaccine for his or her second dose over issues of blood clots.
►The NFL has laid out crew tips for COVID-19 vaccinations and is strongly urging franchises to have all staff vaccinated. Commissioner Roger Goodell advised groups in a memo to plan on utilizing stadiums or crew headquarters as vaccination facilities for his or her gamers, staff and relations. Groups should replace the league weekly on vaccination figures.
📈 Immediately’s numbers: The U.S. has greater than 31.3 million confirmed coronavirus circumstances and a pair of.96 deaths, in response to Johns Hopkins College information. The worldwide totals: 137.5 million circumstances and greater than 563,000 million deaths. Greater than 245.36 million vaccine doses have been distributed within the U.S. and 192.28 million have been administered, in response to the CDC.
📘 What we’re studying: What do I do if I’ve gotten the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 shot? Your questions, answered.
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Pause on Johnson & Johnson vaccine ought to have little long-term impact
The pause in use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine might briefly disrupt day by day doses throughout the nation however ought to have little long-term impact on the drive to finish the pandemic, the White COVID-19 response coordinator stated Wednesday.
“Within the very brief time period we do count on some impression on day by day averages as websites and appointments transition from Johnson & Johnson to Moderna and Pfizer vaccines,” Jeff Zients stated on the crew’s thrice-weekly briefing. “Nevertheless, I wish to be clear that we have now greater than sufficient Pfizer and Moderna provides to proceed and even speed up the present tempo of vaccinations.”
Zients pressed the administration’s rivalry that the pause – introduced Tuesday – may have little impression within the effort to vaccinate the nation. He stated there’s lots Moderna and Pfizer vaccine to make up any shortfall of single-shot J&J vaccine. The U.S. is on monitor to amass 600 million of double-shot doses from these corporations by the top of July, he stated.
Pandemic might gas international unrest for years, US officers warn
U.S. intelligence officers warned that the coronavirus pandemic will take a look at governments throughout the globe for years to come back, “fueling humanitarian and financial crises, political unrest and geopolitical competitors.” In its annual Worldwide Menace Evaluation report, officers outlined a frightening problem towards a backdrop of different persistent threats posed by local weather change and mass migration.
“No nation has been utterly spared, and even when a vaccine is broadly distributed globally, the financial and political aftershocks might be felt for years,” the report concluded, referring to the huge virus fallout.
EU bails on AstraZeneca in favor of Pfizer/BioNTech
The European Union introduced plans to barter an enormous contract extension for Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine because the 27-nation bloc’s religion in AstraZeneca’s vaccine wavers. America’s Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech would supply the EU with an additional 50 million doses within the 2nd quarter of this 12 months, making up for faltering deliveries of British-Swedish AstraZeneca following studies of uncommon blood clots in some recipients. The Johnson & Johnson jab, which makes use of the identical base expertise as AstraZeneca, is on “pause” within the U.S. due to uncommon blood clots, and EU deliveries have been suspended.
“We have to deal with applied sciences which have confirmed their value,” stated EU Fee President Ursula von der Leyen. Pfizer-BioNTech “has confirmed to be a dependable companion. It has delivered on its commitments, and it’s conscious of our wants. That is to the rapid advantage of EU residents.”
Many staff search adjustments earlier than returning to places of work after pandemic
Places of work that shuttered throughout the COVID-19 pandemic are poised to reopen quickly as vaccines roll out throughout the nation. However many staff aren’t excited by returning to the identical work atmosphere they left behind a 12 months in the past, in response to the seventh annual Shiny Horizons Fashionable Household Index. They need their corporations to supply extra companies for his or her kids. They count on flexibility of their work schedules. And in some situations they wish to earn a living from home completely.
“We have been working from house or dwelling at work,” says Maribeth Bearfield, Shiny Horizons’ Chief Human Useful resource Officer. “I suppose staff wish to their employers to supply greater than they ever have earlier than.”
– Charisse Jones
Might we save lives by assigning every American a spot in line for vaccines?
Think about a method that would rating every American’s distinctive threat of dying of COVID-19. Individuals’s odds would decide their precise quantity in line for a vaccine. The algorithm would take note of your age, your race, your full medical historical past and each one in all your medical health insurance claims. You’d get an electronic mail, a textual content or a telephone name the week earlier than your vaccine appointment telling you the place and when to indicate up. When you turned down the shot, the following in line would take your spot. The pandemic has introduced such micro-targeting far nearer to actuality than many may guess.
“We do have the info, we do have the computational capability,” stated Hossein Estiri, an assistant professor of drugs at Mass Common and at Harvard who has labored on risk-based vaccine modeling. “It’s simply that we haven’t discovered the politics to make this occur.” Learn extra right here.
– Aleszu Bajak
Poland will not pause use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine
Poland plans to go forward with immunizations utilizing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after receiving its first batch of 120,000 doses on Wednesday.
Well being Minister Adam Niedzielski stated Poland is following the most recent suggestions from the European Medicines Company, which stated it’s “at the moment not clear” whether or not the J&J shot brought on uncommon blood clots reported in some recipients. The EMA authorised the vaccine to be used within the European Union final month.
“In step with these suggestions, we are going to wish to use it in inoculations,” Niedzielski stated.
Phoenix goals to vaccinate 500 people who find themselves homeless this week
Circle the Metropolis, with assist from the Human Companies Campus and Maricopa County in Arizona, is internet hosting a week-long, walk-up occasion on the Phoenix campus to vaccinate folks experiencing homelessness. No appointment mandatory. Dr. Melissa Sandoval of Circle the Metropolis stated her crew has been vaccinating folks experiencing homelessness for months on the group’s clinic however sees extra success at walk-up occasions.
“If even simply calling and making an appointment and strolling into our clinic is a barrier, we would prefer to decrease that barrier,” she stated.
The purpose is to vaccinate 500 folks this week. Sandoval stated it has been troublesome to implement masks insurance policies and educate in regards to the threat of asymptomatic COVID-19 infections. Sandoval added that there is additionally a heightened probability that folks experiencing homelessness might die or find yourself within the hospital in the event that they contract COVID-19 as a result of they usually have preexisting medical circumstances or substance abuse problems. Learn the total story.
– Jessica Boehm, Arizona Republic
Contributing: Kevin Johnson and Mike Stucka, USA TODAY; The Related Press
