Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine will probably return to use, Fauci says; Pope Francis back in St. Peter’s Square: Live COVID-19 updates

The pause in using the Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine will probably be lifted eventually, but it would come with some warnings or restrictions, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday.

Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he doubts the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will “just cancel it” and continue allowing only the Pfizer and Moderna, two-dose vaccines.

“Everything is on the table,” Fauci said. “My estimate is that we will continue to use it in some form. … I don’t think it’s just going to go back and say, ‘OK, everything’s fine. Go right back.’ I think it’ll likely say, ‘OK, we’re going to use it but be careful under these certain circumstances.’”

States began halting use of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine last week after federal health officials recommended a pause “out of an abundance of caution” because of rare but dangerous blood clots.

Also in the news:

►Pope Francis says he is happy to be back in St. Peter’s Square for his traditional Sunday blessing after weeks of lockdown measures. Hundreds of people standing a safe distance apart turned out to see the pope speak from a window of the Apostolic Palace. “Thank God, we can gather in this square again,” Francis said.

►As states around the country lift COVID-19 restrictions, Oregon is poised to go the opposite direction – and many residents are fuming about it. A top health official is considering indefinitely extending rules requiring masks and social distancing in all businesses in the state.

►More than 5,500 new COVID-19 cases and 69 deaths from the coronavirus have been reported in Michigan. Michigan’s daily case rate has led the U.S. for weeks.

►Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy says COVID-19 vaccines would be made available at key airports in the state starting June 1. The plan is aimed at bolstering Alaska’s pandemic-battered tourist industry.

►What do I do if I’ve gotten the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 shot? Your questions, answered.

📈 Today’s numbers: The U.S. has more than 31 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 566,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data.  The global totals: more than 140 million cases and 3 million deaths. Nearly 265 million vaccine doses have been distributed in the U.S. and 205 million have been administered, according to the CDC. 

📘 What we’re reading: Monoclonal antibodies are helping the Americans most at risk for COVID-19: “Like somebody gave me a happy pill,” one patient said. 

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