Dr. Anthony Fauci addressed the decision by federal health authorities to call for a pause on the coronavirus vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson during an interview on TODAY. Dr. Fauci said that the decision was made "out of an abundance of caution."
The FDA and CDC issued a joint statement on Tuesday (April 13) recommending states temporarily halt administering the Johnson & Johnson single-shot vaccine after six women developed blood clots less than two weeks after getting inoculated. One of the women died, and another remains in critical condition.
Dr. Fauci reassured people who have already received the vaccine.
"Don't worry very much. It's a very, very rare event," he said.
"Having said that, you still want to be alert to some symptoms, such as severe headache, some difficulty in movement, or some chest discomfort and difficulty breathing," he added.
Dr. Fauci said he believes the pause will last "days to weeks as opposed to weeks to months."
"I don't think this is going to drag out," Fauci said.
The CDC vaccine advisory committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to examine any potential link between the vaccine and the blood clots.
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