Coronavirus News Roundup: FDA Authorizes Johnson & Johnson Vaccine; Biden Pledges Vaccine Supply for All US Adults by End of May

The COVID-19 vaccination effort is well underway in the US, with over 82.57 million administered doses and 8.3% of the population fully vaccinated against the virus as of press time.

This week, President Biden promised that the federal government will have enough doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to vaccinate approximately 300 million Americans by the end of May, and the FDA authorized the third vaccine for COVID-19.

Here’s a roundup of the latest coronavirus-related news:

IDSA: COVID-19 Testing, Masking Still Needed to Control Pandemic

In a briefing, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) stressed the continued importance of COVID-19 control measures that have been there from the start.

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Biden Pledges Enough COVID-19 Vaccines for All US Adults By End of May

President Biden promised that the federal government will have enough doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to vaccinate approximately 300 million Americans by the end of May, which is 2 months earlier than anticipated.

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Shingles Vaccination Counseling During the COVID-19 Pandemic

New guidance from the CDC regarding vaccination against shingles during the COVID-19 pandemic designates it as an essential preventive care service for older adults that should not be delayed or discontinued unless a patient is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19.

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Study Results Show Half of Severe COVID-19 Patients Have Damage to the Heart

Approximately 50% of patients hospitalized for severe COVID-19 and with elevated troponin levels presented lasting heart damage, including myocarditis, infarction, ischemia, as well as combinations of all 3, according to a recent study.

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FDA Updates Storage, Transportation Guidance for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

Officials with the FDA recently announced updates to required storage and transportation conditions for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

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FDA Grants Emergency Use Authorization to Third COVID-19 Vaccine

The FDA has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) to Johnson & Johnson for its COVID-19 vaccine.

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