French President Emmanuel Macron is reopening elementary schools on Monday and allowing people to move about more freely again in May.

Some frontline caregivers in hospitals see the easing as premature. Intensive care unit admissions at French hospitals remain stubbornly higher than at any point since the pandemic’s first deadly surge.

In France, Greece and elsewhere, governments are using ramped-up vaccinations to bolster arguments to ease restrictions. However, just one-quarter of adults in Europe have received a first dose.

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia health officials have told providers to immediately resume their use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after federal agencies lifted a pause on the vaccine.

The decision came after the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration found the benefits of the one-shot vaccine outweigh its risks of rare blood clots.

This month, the agencies announced an investigation into six cases of an extremely rare blood clot disorder in recipients. The one woman who died was a 45-year-old Virginia resident who received the vaccine on March 6.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports before the pause, Virginia had administered 184,000 J&J shots.

“This extra scrutiny should instill confidence in the system that is in place to guarantee COVID-19 vaccine safety,” says Dr. Danny Avula, the state’s vaccine coordinator, who received a J&J shot on April 1. “As with any vaccine, we encourage individuals to educate themselves on any potential side effects and to weigh that against the possibility of hospitalization or death from COVID-19.”

Originally Appeared On: https://wacotrib.com/business/the-latest-several-states-resuming-j-j-vaccines-after-pause/article_0212c56c-b076-5d70-97a5-2ef124da8b48.html