FDA, CDC OK J&J shots to resume

Immediate lifting of pause follows expert advisors' recommendation; public health officials say one-dose vaccine is best for hard-to-reach people

Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky acted swiftly and lifted the pause on use of the J&J single-dose COVID-19 vaccine late Friday, only hours after a panel of CDC advisors recommended it.

The decision was based on an analysis that concluded that the number of COVID cases and deaths that the vaccine would prevent far exceeded the small number of possible blood clot cases.

Today’s earlier newsletter covered the advisory panel discussion.

Watch the joint FDA-CDC news conference explaining the decision. (I am not sure I recall a Friday 7 pm news conference like this before.)