Coronavirus News Roundup: Pharmacists Can Improve Vaccine Uptake; FDA and CDC Recommend Pause for Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

As the United States nears the 200 million mark for the total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered, with 23.5% of Americans fully vaccinated against the virus as of April 15, coronavirus-related news is not slowing down. 

Here’s a roundup of the latest coronavirus-related news, including a recent survey from the National Community Pharmacists Assocation (NCPA) and the CDC recommendation to temporarily pause the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

NCPA: Independent Pharmacies Can Improve Vaccine Uptake in Vulnerable Communities

According to a new survey from the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), independent community pharmacists are key to vaccinating socially vulnerable populations, including minority populations, but many are receiving inadequate vaccine supply.

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Guillain-Barré Syndrome in COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Does Not Imply Causality, Experts Say

In a COVID-19 vaccine trial, an individual who received the vaccine subsequently developed Guillain-Barré syndrome; however, authors of a recently published paper are cautioning that this does not prove that the vaccine was the cause.

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FDA, CDC Recommend Temporary Pause for Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine

US health officials are recommending a pause in the administration of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine following 6 reports of a rare and severe type of blood clot, according to a joint statement issued on Tuesday by the CDC and FDA.

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Study: Some Individuals Report Long-Term Effects Following Mild COVID-19

Although it is known that many patients hospitalized with COVID-19 report persistent long-term symptoms, there is not much knowledge regarding long-term outcomes among individuals with mild COVID-19.

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What Contributes to Severe COVID-19 in Kids

COVID-19 may be mild in most cases for children, but severe cases do happen. An investigation offers insight into what factors may contribute to those cases.

Read more on Contemporary Pediatrics.