J&J vaccine, small business grants expected topics at Thursday's COVID briefing

PROVIDENCE — The pause in administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, small business COVID-19 support grants, and the number of new vaccine appointments expected to be released on Friday are among the topics that Gov. Dan McKee is expected to address Thursday at 1 p.m. during the weekly coronavirus press conference.

That was the word Thursday morning in an email from Lexi Kriss, deputy director of communications for McKee.

The J&J pause was recommended Tuesday morning by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration after six women elsewhere in the United States developed a rare blood-clotting disorder after receiving the one-dose vaccine. One of the women died and a second was hospitalized in critical condition.

The pause is giving scientists the opportunity to study data and then decide if the pause should be lifted. On Wednesday, the CDC’s scientific advisory panel said it needed more time for a proper assessment. That could mean several days will pass before a determination is made.

The two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which comprise the great majority of vaccinations in Rhode Island, continue to be administered without interruption.

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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: J&J vaccine, small business grants expected topics at Thursday's COVID briefing

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