Coronavirus News Explained

 The Cause of the Pause: Johnson and Johnson Vaccine           As of April 12, 2021, 6.85 million doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine have been administered in the United States. On April 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended a pause in the distribution of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. This pause was due to a small number of reports of a rare type of blood clot in individuals after they received the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Similar blood clotting events have also been reported in recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine in European countries. Some may be wondering, what exactly are these rare blood clots and what effect does the Johnson and Johnson vaccine have on them? Do the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have a similar effect? Should I be concerned if I received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine? Using reports and data from the CDC, FDA, and papers published in the New England Journal of

 Neutralizing Efficacies of Antibodies Produced by new COVID-19 Variants     This past year, multiple coronavirus variants have emerged and have been deemed  more transmissible than preexisting variants. The most prominent include the B.1.1.7 variant, which originated in the UK, and the 501Y.V2 or B.1.351 variant, which originated in South Africa. Much concern has grown surrounding these variants: recently approved vaccines demonstrate decreased efficiencies against these new strains, particularly the B.1.351 variant. Nevertheless, different treatment methods including  convalescent plasma , have shown promise in reducing COVID-19 severity and speeding up recovery time. Convalescent plasma, or blood (donated by recovered COVID-19 patients) that contains antibodies which fight off the coronavirus, can prevent individuals from reinfection or be injected in other COVID-19 patients to speed up recovery. With the emergence of new variants, some may wonder how these new strains affect the e