Top COVID-19 news

^{Amid the pandemic, news is fast-moving – and sometimes confusing. Coverage is here to help. Our new series provides a clear, fact-based digest of the top news for health consumers.}

J&J vaccine on pause

The CDC and FDA have recommended a pause in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine while six blood clot cases are under review, and officials in Massachusetts and most other states have instructed providers to temporarily stop giving the shot. The six cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, 6 to 13 days after vaccination. The vast majority of shots given in the U.S. – more than 150 million so far – are manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna, and there have been no blood clot cases associated with those vaccines. Anyone currently scheduled for a J&J vaccine should contact their appointment provider for information about getting rescheduled for a Pfizer or Moderna shot.

What if I already got the Johnson & Johnson shot? “Right now, these adverse events appear to be extremely rare,” the federal agencies said in their statement – less than 1 in a million, far lower than the clotting risks associated with many other common medications. If you received the J&J vaccine and develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination, you should contact your health care provider.

Universal vaccine eligibility on April 19

Everyone in the U.S. who is 16 or older will be eligible to book a vaccine appointment beginning April 19, marking the final phase in the months-long vaccination rollout for adults. The effort has seen notable success in recent weeks: In the U.S., nearly half of all adults (78% over age of 65) have had at least their first shot, and 28% are now fully vaccinated. The J&J pause is not expected to have a significant impact on the national vaccination effort, as the Biden administration has ordered enough doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for every adult in the U.S. who wants to get vaccinated by the end of the summer. The administration said it expects to continue the current pace of 3 million shots per day.

How can I get vaccinated? If you live in Massachusetts, you can sign up or preregister for an appointment at a mass vaccination site here. Homebound residents can call 1-833-983-0485 to get information about in-home vaccination. If you live in a different state, you can check your public health department’s website. Currently, demand is outpacing supply in many locations, so you may need to wait a few days or weeks for an appointment as manufacturing continues to ramp up.

Pfizer and BioNTech ask FDA to authorize vaccine for teens

Pfizer and BioNTech have asked the Food and Drug Administration to expand the emergency use authorization for their coronavirus vaccine to permit its use in children ages 12 to 15. If the FDA approves the expansion, the vaccine could be approved to young teens before they return to school in the fall.

What do we know so far? In a clinical trial, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 100% effective in adolescents aged 12-15. The clinical trial of 2,260 adolescents found “very high antibody” responses in the young volunteers, indicating a strong immune response that even exceeded the responses in vaccinated adults. The FDA will study the data over the next several weeks before making its decision.