Newsletter Apr 14, 2021

The FDA and CDC took a bold step of pulling the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from circulation to investigate a potential link to blood clots.

3 Things

Reverse shot: Efforts to vaccinate Americans and reach herd immunity by summer took a big hit Tuesday when the FDA and CDC imposed a temporary pause on the Johnson & Johnson shot to investigate a possible connection to a rare blood clot condition.
Despite the fact that the number of reported cases is literally less than one in a million (that's six cases per 6.8 million Americans who have received J&J's single-shot dose), the agencies decided to take the action out of an abundance of caution to study the potential link.
The type of blood clot in question is called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, which results in low levels of the blood platelets that help prevent the clotting process. They are typically treated with an anticoagulant drug such as heparin, but it also may be dangerous.
All six cases occurred in women aged 18 to 48, with symptoms occurring from six to 13 days after vaccination. Experts want to know the connection between the vaccine and the condition before allowing millions of more Americans to receive the vaccine.
Vaccination centers across the country are rescheduling J&J appointments in favor of the Pfizer and Moderna inoculations.
FIND OUT WHY THE CDC AND FDA PULLED THE J&J SHOT

Triple protection: If you are feeling safe from COVID after being inoculated, you still might not be fully vaccinated from the deadly virus as new variants could force Americans to get a third shot.
The news comes after scientist discovered that the South African strain could evade protections from Pfizer's first-generation vaccine. Researchers are now reviewing whether a third dose of vaccine could provide further protect against the sweeping B.1.351 variant.
Researchers found that among people who had received two doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine, the variant's prevalence rate was 5.4%, but among unvaccinated patients, the rate was 0.7%.
â€œWe need to be ahead of the virus. We know what itâ€™s like when weâ€™re behind,â€ Dr. Nadine Rouphael of Emory University said. â€œRealistically, we want to turn COVID into a sniffle.â€
FIND OUT HOW FAR AWAY SCIENCE IS FROM A THIRD DOSE

Global hot spots: After spending most of his time and energy on addressing the pandemic and his infrastructure plan, President Joe Biden has been forced to turn his focus to foreign policy this week.
Biden is set to unveil his plan to pull the final troops from Afghanistan on the appropriate date of Sept. 11 -- the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. America's longest war has dragged on through three prior administrations, but Biden will declare an end to it today.
Biden has also had to deal with a pair of superpower rivals in Russia and China. He encouraged Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop aggressive actions against Ukraine, where Russian troop buildups on the common border have raised concerns about Putin's motives. China has been making similarly threatening moves against Taiwan.
SEE WHAT BIDEN IS TELLING U.S. RIVALS TO EASE TENSIONS

Markets

DJIA	33,677.27	-0.20%
S&P 500	4,141.59	0.33%
Nasdaq Composite	13,996.10	1.05%
Japan: Nikkei 225	29,620.99	-0.44%
UK: FTSE 100	6,908.63	0.26%
Crude Oil Futures	61.21	1.71%
Gold Futures	1,743.20	-0.25%
Yen	109.00	-0.06%
Euro	1.20	0.05%
* As of market close

Proper inflation?

Predictions that the latest $1.9 trillion stimulus package could cause runaway inflation showed signs of becoming a scary reality in the latest economic report, but the Federal Reserve said it is ready to act swiftly and decisively to prevent that from happening despite the early indicators.

Consumer prices exceeded expectations in March, fueling speculation among investors that it could be a sign of worse things to come. In total, prices rose 2.3% more in March 2021 than the previous year, largely due to rising food and energy prices. Gasoline jumped 22.5% over the preceding year and food has seen similar spikes. Even excluding food and fuel, the price rise of 1.6% was more than experts had predicted.

â€œIn our estimation it would be a mistake for policymakers, investors and firm managers to conclude that there is about to be a sustained and significant breakout higher in the overall level of prices that results in diminished consumer purchasing power and thinner profit margins over the medium to long term," said RSM chief economist Joseph Brusuelas.

The Fed echoed its prior position that it is ready, willing and able to deal with inflation concerns, noting that volatility is to be expected as the U.S. recovers from pandemic. The Fed said the recent delivery of $1,400 stimulus checks is causing some inflation as Americans spend them.

FIND OUT THE FED'S PLAN TO KEEP INFLATION UNDER CONTROL

Bite of the Apple

Tech junkies can get the first look at the next big things coming from Apple in the near future as the tech giant announced a sneak preview Tuesday.

Apple will host its highly anticipated product preview on April 20 at its headquarters in Cupertino, California, where it is expected to introduce new iPads, AirTags and iOS features The remote event comes after Apple saw $8.4 billion in first-quarter iPad sales, a 41% year-to-year jump.

Apple fans are expected to see the latest versions of iPads, including a newly updated iPad Pro and a brand new iPad mini. Reports say Apple may give a release date for its iOS 14.5, which will feature new and improved privacy settings and protections against tracking software.

Other speculated items on the agenda include new AirTags for tracking your devices, as well as the latest iMac desktops. It hasn't been confirmed whether they will be unveiled at this event. iPhone users also could receive some updates on new features and updates that are in the works.

FIND OUT HOW TO LIVE STREAM THE APRIL 20 APPLE EVENT

Clearing the air

Minneapolis experienced unrest for the third straight night Tuesday as the city and nation grapple with another senseless death of a Black man at the hands of police. Making the tragic killings of George Floyd and Daunte Wright even harder to accept are the circumstances around their deaths.

While Floyd died with his neck under the knee of Derek Chauvin, who is standing trial for murder and assault, and Wright was accidentally shot by an officer mistaking their gun for a taser, the events leading up to their deaths revolved around relatively worthless pieces of paper.

For Floyd it was a counterfeit $20 bill, but for Wright it could have been a $2.99 air freshener. In his last call to his mother, he claimed he was pulled over for having an air freshener hanging from his rear view mirror. Police say they stopped him for expired tags, but Minnesota is one of the states that prohibits drivers from displaying anything that may obstruct their view.

The Black community has long complained about police using the pretext of air fresheners for a traffic stop. Depending on your state's policy, you might have to choose between driving a smelly car or getting pulled over.

SEE WHICH STATES HAVE LAWS BANNING CAR AIR FRESHENERS