Fauci expects Johnson & Johnson decision Friday, return with ‘warning’ or ‘restriction’

Dr. Anthony Fauci believes that health officials could reach a decision as to how to handle the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine as soon as Friday this week.

A rare clotting issue forced a pause on the vaccine’s use, with six patients developing a blood clot out of the nearly 7 million doses administered.

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“Hopefully, by Friday, we’ll get back on track one way or the other,” Fauci said on CNN’S “State of the Union.” “I think by that time we’re going to have a decision.”

Fauci stressed that the FDA wanted to look at “all the data” before forming its advisory.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to the president, speaks to a group of interfaith clergy members and community leaders and officials at the Washington National Cathedral, to encourage faith communities to get the COVID vaccine, Tuesday, March 16, 2021 in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

“Now, I don’t want to get ahead of the CDC and the FDA and the advisory committee, but what I imagine is that we’ll see it come back and it would come back in either some sort of warning or restriction.”

Fauci was not clear on what a restriction or warning might look like.  

Fauci continued to repeat that it was only his hope, and that the need for more vaccines has not diminished even as the United States makes considerable progress with its distribution efforts.

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The vaccine would a be valuable tool in the Biden administration’s push towards near-total immunization. President Biden revised his original goal of 100 million doses in his first 100 days after surpassing it in half the time. He now targets 200 million in that same time frame. 

The global death toll from the pandemic crossed 3 million this weekend, marking a grim reminder that the virus continues to spread even during vaccine distribution efforts.

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Israel provided some hope, though, that vaccinations provide a true step towards a return to normalcy. The nation dropped its outdoor mask mandate Sunday as the country achieved approximately 80% immunization of its adult population.

Even with total immunization, it is possible that any vaccination will require a booster shot at some point later in the year.

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Fauci believes that data will make it clear “by the end of summer” this year whether or not a booster would be necessary, as well as when it would need to be administered.