GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - The Garden Route district as at Tuesday 10 May had 658 recorded active Covid-19 cases (George 202, Mossel Bay 157, Oudtshoorn 105, Bitou 69, Knysna 64, Hessequa 46 and Kannaland 15).
This is 227 more than a week ago. Western Cape Health district spokesperson Nadia Ferreira, says as at 10 May there were four Covid hospitalisations (two in Knysna Hospital, one in George and one in Oudtshoorn).
J&J use limited in US because of blood clotting concerns
The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Thursday 5 May that use of the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine in the US is to be limited to certain adults only because of a serious but rare blood-clotting condition after vaccination with J&J.
This decision follows after the FDA had done an updated analysis of reported cases of blood clotting. The administration said the risk warrants limiting the authorised use of the vaccine.
The blood-clotting condition is known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), a syndrome of rare and potentially life-threatening blood clots in combination with low levels of blood platelets. The onset of symptoms is approximately one to two weeks after administration of the J&J vaccine.
The FDA said the benefits of the vaccine still outweigh the risks for persons 18 years who do not have access to other approved vaccines or where these vaccines are clinically appropriate. It may also be administered where people prefer the J&J vaccine and would otherwise not receive a Covid-19 vaccine.
The FDA said it has been closely monitoring the J&J vaccine and occurrence of TTS and has used updated information from its safety surveillance systems to revise its recommendation.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the clotting has occurred in approximately four cases per one million doses administered.
The CDC said due to the risk, Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna Covid-19 vaccines are in most situations preferred over the J&J for primary and booster vaccination.
In March 2021, the use of the J&J vaccine was temporarily halted worldwide for medical and scientific examination of the data to assess the risk. Cases of clotting occurred mostly in women aged between 18 and 59.
Schools not exempted from mask wearing
Confusion was rife in schools last week after National Health Department director-general Dr Nicholas Crisp announced that the regulation on mandatory wearing of face masks in indoor public places was not applicable to schools. This came after the department on Wednesday 4 May published an extension of three months of the health regulations aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19.
On Thursday the department admitted that the statement was in contradiction to the new regulations and retracted its statement, saying the confusion created was an "unfortunate and regrettable human error".
Schools are excluded from some of the regulations on gatherings in that spectators at school events are not required to show a Covid-19 vaccination certificate or negative Covid test result.
According to the regulations, a maximum of 50% of a venue's capacity (indoor or outdoor venue) may be used, provided that every attendee produces a valid vaccination certificate or a valid negative Covid-19 test obtained not more than 72 hours before the event.
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