- Four things to know about the J&J COVID Vaccine Pause and What to do if you recently received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
- New data from the CDC shows a total of 5,800 “breakthrough” infections of COVID-19 for people who were fully vaccinated. For comparison, over 77 million people have been fully vaccinated. Seven percent of these infections resulted in hospitalization and a total of 74 people died.
- New research shows a lack of physical activity is tied to severe COVID-19 symptoms.
- New research from the CDC shows that filling the middle seat on airplanes increases the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
- CDC updates include Ensuring the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States; Understanding Viral Vector COVID-19 Vaccines; Health Equity.
Vaccine, Testing and Treatment
- On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended a temporary pause on the use of Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine due to reports of incredibly rare, yet serious blood clots associated with the vaccine. More specifically, six total cases (all women between the ages of 18 and 48) of the blood clots have been reported out of almost seven million administered doses of the J&J vaccine. One of these cases resulted in a fatality.
- These blood clots are an unusual type and should not be treated with medication used for more common blood clot conditions.
- The CDC convened an emergency meeting of its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to discuss updated recommendations for the vaccine. The ACIP did not issue new recommendations because it is waiting for more data. Many states rely on the ACIP’s recommendations to formulate their own vaccination guidelines and policies.
- Public health officials defended the decision to pause use of the J&J vaccine as not an overreaction but some criticized the ACIP’s decision to delay its recommendations.
- It could be weeks before the CDC issues new recommendations to end the pause.
- Meanwhile, the White House is working with Moderna and Pfizer to increase supply of their vaccines to fill the void left by the J&J pause. However, only four percent of total COVID-19 vaccinations were J&J. Pfizer already announced it is exceeding its production targets.
- What to do if you recently received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
- Four things to know about the J&J COVID vaccine pause.
- New data from the CDC shows a total of 5,800 “breakthrough” infections of COVID-19 for people who were fully vaccinated. For comparison, over 77 million people have been fully vaccinated. Seven percent of these infections resulted in hospitalization and a total of 74 people died.
- The NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci says breakthrough infections are inevitable.
- Moderna says new data shows its vaccine is 90% effective six months after the second dose.
- New research shows the COVID-19 variant first identified in the United Kingdom, though more contagious, is not associated with more severe disease or death.
- Pfizer believes booster vaccine doses will be needed every year.
- Expanding eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines could exacerbate racial vaccination inequities.
- New research shows a lack of physical activity is tied to severe COVID-19 symptoms.
- Federal public health officials oppose proposals to increase the spacing between vaccine doses.
- NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci expressed confidence in the AstraZeneca vaccine’s effectiveness but acknowledges that safety concerns must be resolved. He also said that the United States might not need the vaccine due to ample supplies of other vaccines.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Updates
- New research from the CDC shows that filling the middle seat on airplanes increases the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
- New CDC research shows persistent racial and ethnic disparities from COVID-19. According to the CDC, Hispanic and Black Americans have been disproportionately hospitalized with COVID-19.
- The CDC published the following reports and websites updates:
- Overall U.S. COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration Update as of Thu, 15 Apr 2021 06:00:00 EST
- Joint CDC and FDA Statement on Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine
- Recommendation to Pause Use of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine
- FDA Media Briefing: Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine
- Information About Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine
- Selected Adverse Events Reported after COVID-19 Vaccination
- Ensuring the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States
- Understanding Viral Vector COVID-19 Vaccines
- Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination
- Key Things to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines
- COVID-19 Stats: COVID-19 and Influenza Discharge Diagnoses as a Percentage of Emergency Department (ED) Visits, by Year – United States, June 2018-March 2021
- Notes from the Field: Update on Excess Deaths Associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic – United States, January 26, 2020-February 27, 2021
- Update: COVID-19 Pandemic-Associated Changes in Emergency Department Visits – United States, December 2020-January 2021
- Emergency Department Visits for COVID-19 by Race and Ethnicity – 13 States, October-December 2020
- Trends in Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Hospitalizations, by Region – United States, March-December 2020
- Health Equity in Action
- Health Equity
- Federal Register Notice: Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19
