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.}

Johnson & Johnson vaccination resumes

The one-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine can again be administered in the U.S., the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced after a thorough review. A warning has been added to its label noting the risk for a rare blood-clotting disorder; 15 young women, including three who died, have been identified as experiencing the clots, out of nearly 7 million adults vaccinated. An FDA panel determined the vaccine’s benefits far outweighed the risks and that failing to use it would lead to more deaths than the clotting disorder might cause. However, most Americans will continue to receive a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, due to J&J manufacturing delays.

What should you know if you get the J&J shot? If you develop severe headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath after vaccination (symptoms generally begin about a week later), contact your primary care or emergency provider immediately. The FDA is providing guidance to clinicians regarding the unique treatment required for what is known as thrombosis-thrombocytopenia syndrome. Its precise cause is still being investigated.

Massachusetts eases restrictions and mask rules, as trends improve

Amid declining COVID infection and improving vaccination rates in Massachusetts, the state is easing restrictions, starting April 30 when masks will no longer be required outdoors unless it’s not possible to socially distance. The move follows CDC guidance stating that fully vaccinated people can safely spend time outdoors without wearing a mask, unless they are in a crowded area.

What else is changing? Other state updates include: Starting May 10, if public health trends remain strong, amusement parks can open at 50% capacity and stadiums at 25% and road races can resume. Gathering limits will increase, street festivals can resume, and restrictions on bars will ease starting May 29, and effective Aug. 1, all restrictions will be lifted, although masks may still be required indoors. Cities and towns can make their own determinations, as infection rates vary by region, and some may delay reopening.

Updated guidance for schools

Most middle schoolers return to Massachusetts school full time this week, joining elementary students who have been back since April 5. High schools in Massachusetts should bring students back by May 17, the state Department of Early and Secondary Education said. Approximately 650,000 students and 125,000 staff have been back in person for the past two weeks, and robust testing has found an extremely low infection rate of approximately .16%.

What if a student or staff member is infected? In line with CDC guidance, state protocol for school COVID-19 cases was revised last week. If a student or staff member tests positive, their colleagues, classmates and busmates do not need to quarantine unless they were maskless or within three feet of the infected person for 15 minutes or more. Close contacts who are fully vaccinated also do not need to quarantine if they do not have symptoms. The change is expected to allow schools to safely maintain stable in-person education. Unvaccinated people who came in contact with an infected person must quarantine if they were unmasked, or if they made contact on an athletic field or other extracurricular setting.