A highly contagious variant of COVID-19 first identified in Britain does not cause more severe disease in hospitalised patients, according to a new study published in the medical journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases on Monday. The strain, known as B.1.1.7, was identified in Britain late last year and has become…
Johnson & Johnson pauses COVID-19 vaccine trial after US recommends investigation of rare clotting reports
By Kelly Hayes
U.S. officials recommend ‘pause’ of J&J vaccine
In a joint statement, the CDC and the FDA said it was investigating clots in six women in the days after vaccination, in combination with reduced platelet counts.
WASHINGTON - Johnson & Johnson said it will pause its ongoing vaccine trial after federal health officials on Tuesday recommended a pause on the use of its COVID-19 vaccine in order to investigate reports in the U.S. of a rare type of blood clotting following vaccination.
What happened?
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in America suspended the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine “out of an abundance of caution” following six cases of women developing a rare condition causing blood clots in the brain, coupled with low platelets. The condition cannot be treated by normal blood thinners.
On Tuesday night, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced that South Africa will also suspend use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, “hopefully only for a few days”, while clarity was obtained about a possible link between the vaccine and the six cases. All six women received the J&J vaccine.
How many Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been administered in the US?
As the FDA presses pause on the rollout of the vaccine at federal sites, we consider how many shot of the drug have already been given.
Dado Ruvic
REUTERS
On Tuesday, the US Food and Drug Administration and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that they were pausing use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after six recipients in the United States developed a rare disorder involving blood clots.
Vaccine news:
White House economic adviser Jared Bernstein said that it was
too soon to say what impact the pause of Johnson & Johnson s covid-19 vaccine could have on President Joe Biden s push to reopen the country. More information was still needed on any possible issues with the vaccine before the Biden administration could weigh what potential impact any delay in the vaccination campaign could have on the nation s economy, he added.
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