US recommends 'pause' for Johnson & Johnson vaccine over blood clot reports
Washington, Apr 13: The US is recommending a pause in administration of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to investigate reports of potentially dangerous blood clots.
In a joint statement Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said they were investigating clots in six women that occurred in the days after vaccination.
The clots were observed along with reduced platelet counts making the usual treatment for blood clots, the blood thinner heparin, potentially dangerous.
More than 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the U.S., the vast majority with no or mild side effects.
U.S. federal distribution channels, including mass vaccination sites, will pause the use of the J&J shot, and states and other providers are expected to follow. The other two authorised vaccines, from Moderna and Pfizer, are not affected by the pause.
CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet Wednesday to discuss the cases and the FDA has also launched an investigation into the cause of the clots and low platelet counts.
Until that process is complete, we are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution, Dr. Anne Schuchat, Principal Deputy Director of the CDC and Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research said in a joint statement.
They are recommending that people who were given the J&J vaccine who are experiencing severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after receiving the shot contact their health care provider.
Officials say they also want to educate vaccine providers and health professionals about the unique treatment required for this type of clot.
The J&J vaccine received emergency use authorization from the FDA in late February with great fanfare, with hopes that its single-dose and relatively simple storage requirements would speed vaccinations across the country.
Yet the shot only makes up a small fraction of the doses administered in the U.S. as J&J has been plagued by production delays and manufacturing errors at the Baltimore plant of a contractor.
Last week the drugmaker took over the facility to scale up production in hopes of meeting its commitment to the U.S. government of providing about 100 million doses by the end of May.
Until now concern about the unusual blood clots has centered on the vaccine from AstraZeneca, which has not yet received authorisation in the U.S. Last week, European regulators said they found a possible link between the shots and a very rare type of blood clot that occurs together with low blood platelets, one that seems to occur more in younger people.
The European Medicines Agency stressed that the benefits of receiving the vaccine outweigh the risks for most people. But several countries have imposed limits on who can receive the vaccine; Britain recommended that people under 30 be offered alternatives.
But the J&J and AstraZeneca vaccines are made with the same technology. Leading COVID-19 vaccines train the body to recognize the spike protein that coats the outer surface of the coronavirus. But the J&J and AstraZeneca vaccines use a cold virus, called an adenovirus, to carry the spike gene into the body. J&J uses a human adenovirus to create its vaccine while AstraZeneca uses a chimpanzee version.
The announcement hit US stock markets immediately, with Dow futures falling almost 200 points just over two hours before the opening bell. Shares of Johnson & Johnson dropped almost 3 per cent.
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PV Sindhu stranded in Dubai as flights remain suspended
New Delhi (PTI): Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu was on Saturday left stranded at Dubai airport en route to the prestigious All England Open badminton tournament, after flight operations were suspended owing to escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
The tournament is scheduled to start from next Tuesday.
Sindhu took to Instagram and posted a video showing a crowded airport with a caption: "All flights suspended until further notice.”
Later, the Indian superstar shuttler said she was safe but stuck with her team. She added that the speed at which the tensions have escalated is “terrifying”.
“It’s hard to process what’s unfolding right now. Hearing the interceptions overhead and seeing how quickly everything has escalated is honestly terrifying,” Sindhu wrote on 'X'.
“So many disturbing videos are coming to light, and this is sadly the reality of what is happening. Dubai is a city I deeply love, a place that has always felt safe and full of life, which makes this moment even harder to comprehend.
“To everyone who has been messaging and checking in, thank you, it truly means a lot. I am safe right now, stuck here with my team, and we are doing okay as the situation around the war with Iran continues to evolve,” she added.
Sindhu said that airports are chaotic with many families “stranded and waiting”.
“Airports are chaotic, with many families stranded and waiting, all of us just hoping we get past this soon. I’m sure the authorities are doing everything in their power, and like everyone here, we’re holding on to patience and hope,” she wrote.
“Moments like these remind you how fragile normal life really is. Praying for safety and peace for everyone affected.”
The US and Israel launched a major offensive on Iran on Saturday, with American President Donald Trump calling on the Iranian public to overthrow the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979.
The military strikes have led to a closure of air space in the Gulf region and caused disruption to several flights, including Emirates and Air India.
Air India cancelled all its flight to and from the Gulf region, mainly to Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Muscat, Riyadh, and Tel Aviv, Israel, the airline said in a statement posted on 'X'.
The Dubai airport too suspended all operations indefinitely due to airspace closures following missile strikes involving the US, Israel and Iran.
