As a doctor and volunteer in the J&J clinical trial who received the vaccine <2 weeks ago, here's my take on the recommendation for the FDA & CDC pause for the Johnson & Johnson #covid19#vaccine: 🧵
(1) This is exactly the right move. All possibly concerning safety signals should be immediately & transparently investigated.
This shows that regulatory entities are doing their job. Even something very rare (6 cases out of 7 million) will be immediately looked into.
(2) The events flagged (blood clots with low platelets) are extremely rare. Causation hasn't been established. The reason this really needs to be alerted now is for doctors who may see patients with this rare condition, to know what to look for and how to treat them.
(3) This is critical: The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have a different mechanism than J&J.
Over 100 million people have received the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in the U.S. without these safety concerns.
People should continue taking these vaccines to prevent #covid19.
(4) To be sure, this is a disappointing setback, because the one-dose J&J has so much potential for easy distribution & administration.
This, again, is why a thorough investigation is occurring--I'm confident that this is what the FDA & CDC are doing. /END
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Obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers & worse outcomes from #covid19. With stress & food insecurity, 42% self-reported gaining weight since the pandemic, with an average addition of 29 pounds. 10% gained 50+ pounds. /2 apa.org/news/press/rel…
The experts I spoke to proposed numerous solutions, including seeing food as medicine so doctors can prescribe healthy produce for patients; changing policies around ultra-processed foods & sugary sodas; and recognizing that systemic racism is built into our food system. /3
Asking for vaccination status is a kind of health screen to identify those at low risk for infecting others, not unlike symptom questionnaires or #covid19 tests.
If these aren’t seen as constraints on individual liberties, showing vaccine status shouldn't be, either. /2
In addition, individuals are increasingly asking one another whether they’ve gotten their shots. Vaccination enables activities that otherwise couldn’t occur safely.
I think it’s time for us to extend the newfound normalcy from social settings to business operations. /3
I know this is a difficult needle to thread. What I want to see is nuance & risk estimates instead of taking an absolutist approach. Healthcare providers must help people exercise good judgment while considering each person’s individual values, or else we lose their trust.
Also, people need to be given incentives to get vaccinated As reopening occurs & people return back to normal, we are losing the opportunity to tie reopening to vaccination. At some point soon, everything will be fully reopened anyway, and there will be no carrot left to offer.
The #covid19 vaccine is extremely protective against severe disease. There's growing evidence that it may reduce the likelihood of people being carriers.
People should resume essential activities but were being put off--like cancer screenings & dental screenings. (2/5)
It's probably fine to resume some non-essential activities, like going to the gym & out to eat. People should still abide by masking & distancing in case they can infect others. I'd still avoid crowded bars--& be extra cautious if others in your home are unvaccinated. (3/5)
Here’s my best-case scenario: With existing vaccines, we turn #covid19 into an illness akin to the seasonal flu. By the end of 2021, we can resume much of our pre-pandemic lives.
I’m optimistic because of a specific result in the vaccine trials that, so far, has received little attention: very few vaccinated people have become severely ill to the point of requiring hospitalization.
(2/4)
This one measure could change everything. Families could safely spend holidays together again if the worst-case scenario shifted from being put on a ventilator or dying to possible fever and body aches. Schools could reopen and much of the economy could return to normal.