Iran on Saturday banned all flights to and from India and Pakistan to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the Islamic Republic News Agency reports.
Details: Mohammad Hassan Zibakhsh, a spokesperson for Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization told IRNA that the ban will be effective starting at midnight. Zibakhsh said there are now flight restrictions to and from 41 countries.
The CDC and FDA on Friday lifted the recommended pause on use of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine, saying the benefits of the shot outweigh the risk of a rare blood clot disorder.
Why it matters: The move clears the way for states to immedialtey resume administering the one-shot vaccine.
An advisory panel for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday recommended that the U.S. resume use of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, saying the benefits of the shot outweigh the risk of a rare blood clot disorder.
Why it matters: The move likely paves the way for the U.S. to lift its recommended pause on the one-shot vaccine. The Biden administration has said it will take the panel's recommendations into account as it makes a determination on the vaccine's use.
Federal officials are recommending pregnant women get the COVID-19 vaccine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walenksy announced at a White House briefing on Friday.
Why it matters: The recommendation clarifies previously conflicting guidance, the Washington Post reports. It also comes on the heels of preliminary CDC findings released this week that said the vaccines appear to be safe for pregnant women.
Hospitals in New Delhi are pleading on social media for the government to provide more oxygen tanks and other medical supplies as India battles the world's worst coronavirus surge, AP reported on Friday.
The Food and Drug Administration is recommending health workers use N95 masks only once since personal protective equipment is now readily available, AP reported on Friday.
The big picture: PPE shortages at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic made the Trump administration issue guidelines for health workers to reuse disposable equipment, such as N95 masks. Manufacturers are now saying they have excess equipment and healthcare facilities have massive stockpiles, per AP.
The European Medical Agency (EMA) said on Friday that people who received the first dose of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine should get the second one, reiterating that the benefits of the shot outweigh the risks.
The big picture: EMA's decision comes after several countries suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to the agency's assessment of a "possible link" between the shot and rare blood clots. EMA recommended the condition be listed as a "very rare" side effect.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said Thursday that because the COVID-19 vaccines are not fully approved by the FDA, the U.S. government "probably should have limited the distribution to the vulnerable" — questioning the "big push to make sure everybody gets a vaccine."
Why it matters: Vaccine hesitancy — especially among white Republicans — is viewed as one of the major barriers to reaching herd immunity in the U.S. and bringing the pandemic to an end.
A malaria vaccine developed by Oxford University was found to have "high-level efficacy" in phase II trials, according to a pre-print study released on Friday.
Why it matters: Malaria kills over 400,000 people a year, more than half of them children under the age of 5. Deaths have fallen in half over the past 20 years thanks to investment in prevention and drugs, but a truly effective malaria vaccine would represent one of the greatest victories in the history of public health.
Publicity surrounding the Johnson & Johnson vaccine's possible link to blood clots hashad a negative effect on overall public opinion on vaccines, according to new Harris polling.
By the numbers: 54% of respondents said they wouldn't be willing to take the J&J vaccine in the future, even if its use is given the go-ahead by federal regulators.
Marijuana products often don't provide adequate warnings about potential risks to pregnant women, according to a new study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
The big picture: Preterm birth, low birth weight and mortality are all more likely in babies born to mothers who have been diagnosed with cannabis use disorders.
A flood of cash from Operation Warp Speed helped coax a slew of biotech companies into the race for a coronavirus vaccine, but the incentives to keep working on new competitors won't be nearly as strong.
Why it matters: That initial flood of cash worked — it delivered multiple, highly effective vaccines in record time. In other disease areas, though, second- and third-generation vaccines usually become the dominant products. And the first COVID-19 vaccines aren't necessarily a great fit for the whole world.
Washington state has entered its fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Jay Inslee (D) announced during a press conference on Thursday.
Why it matters: Washington — like other states such as Michigan — is experiencing a surge in COVID cases driven largely by variants of the virus, predominantly the one first discovered in the U.K.
