America is likely to resume the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine by Friday, with some restrictions to prevent rare blood clots, says Dr. Fauci.
- President Biden’s chief medical adviser said restricted shots would return
- Would be ‘very surprised’ if the J&J vaccine didn’t resume ‘in some form by Friday’
- There have been six cases of blood clots out of a total of more than 7 million US vaccinations
The US is likely to resume Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine this week, possibly with limitations or broader warnings following reports of some very rare cases of blood clots, the government’s top infectious disease expert said Sunday.
Dr. Anthony Fauci said in a series of interviews with news shows that he expects a decision when advisers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meet Friday to discuss the break in J & J’s single-dose vaccine.
“I would be very surprised if we don’t have a resume in some form or another on Friday,” he said. “I don’t really expect them to want to stretch it any longer.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci said in a series of interviews with news shows that he expects a decision when advisers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meet Friday to discuss the break in J & J’s single-dose vaccine.
Fauci, who is President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser, said he believed federal regulators could bring the shots back with age or gender restrictions or with a general warning so it gets “ a little different ” in a way. administered. than we were before the break. ‘
The J&J vaccine was in limbo after the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration said last week they needed more evidence to decide if a handful of unusual blood clots were linked to the injection – and if so, how big it was. risk.
The reports are rare – six cases of the more than 7 million US vaccinations with J&J vaccine. The clots were found in six women between the ages of 18 and 48. One person died.
The acting FDA commissioner had said she expected the break to last only a few days. Still, Tuesday’s decision sparked swift action in Europe and elsewhere.
Fauci said he had serious doubts that the US would permanently discontinue use of the J&J vaccine.
Boxes are next to vials of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in the National Jewish Hospital pharmacy for distribution in Denver. Picture taken in March
“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” he said. ‘The break was to take a look, make sure we know all the information we might have within that time frame, and also warn some of the doctors that people, especially women, who might have this particular side effect. see they treat them properly. ‘
‘I think it will probably say,’ Okay, we’re going to use it. But be careful under these circumstances. ”
In the US, more than 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been given, the vast majority with no or mild side effects. Authorities stressed that they have found no signs of clot problems with the most commonly used COVID-19 vaccines in the US – from Moderna and Pfizer.
Fauci has appeared on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’, ‘CNN’s’ State of the Union, ‘ABC’s’ This Week ‘and CBS’ ‘Face the Nation’.