J&J COVID vaccine use paused due to one-in-a-million complication

An extremely rare clotting problem that’s also seen with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Image of a woman receiving a vaccine.

Enlarge / A nurse practitioner named Heidi Johnson administers a vaccine from Johnson & Johnson. (credit: Tom Williams / Getty Images)

On Tuesday morning, the US Centers for Disease Control and Food and Drug Administration issued a release acknowledging an extremely rare clotting disorder was associated with the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine. The problem is actually less than a one-in-a-million issue; in data from the US, where 6.8 million doses of this vaccine have been used, there have only been six instances of the clotting problem detected.

Because the clots call for an unusual treatment, however, the organizations are calling for a pause in administering the shot. This will provide them with time to ensure the medical community is aware of the appropriate treatment.

This is not the first vaccine to create extremely rare clotting issues. They've also been seen following use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The problem appears to be caused by the harmless virus (an Adenovirus) that carries a single gene from SARS-CoV-2 in order to elicit an immune response.

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Dell’s new Inspiron 14 2-in-1 convertible laptop with Intel or AMD coming in May for $729 and up

The latest Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 convertible laptops are coming in May and they’ll be available with a choice of Intel or AMD processors. The new Dell Inspiron 14 5410 2-in-1 is powered by 11th-gen Intel Core “Tiger Lake” processor…

The latest Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 convertible laptops are coming in May and they’ll be available with a choice of Intel or AMD processors. The new Dell Inspiron 14 5410 2-in-1 is powered by 11th-gen Intel Core “Tiger Lake” processor options, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7415 2-in-1 packs an AMD Ryzen 5000U processor, but note that […]

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Dell introduces Inspiron 16 Plus with Tiger Lake-H and NVIDIA graphics

Dell is expanding its Inspiron laptop lineup with a new 16 inch model sporting a 3072 x 1920 x pixel display, a relatively compact design  thanks to slim bezels around the display, and support for 11th-gen Intel Core H processor options and NVIDIA GTX…

Dell is expanding its Inspiron laptop lineup with a new 16 inch model sporting a 3072 x 1920 x pixel display, a relatively compact design  thanks to slim bezels around the display, and support for 11th-gen Intel Core H processor options and NVIDIA GTX or RTX 30 series graphics. The new Dell Inspiron 16 Plus will […]

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Roku’s latest streaming device gives 4K, HDR, and a voice remote for $40

Plus new Roku OS updates and a revised two-in-one streaming soundbar.

Roku on Tuesday announced its latest 4K media streamer, the Roku Express 4K+. In addition, the streaming-device maker launched a new optional voice-remote upgrade, the Roku Voice Remote Pro, a lightly updated version of its two-in-one Smart Soundbar called the Streambar Pro, and a Roku OS 10 software update for its family of video hardware, audio devices, and Roku TVs.

A new 4K HDR streamer for $40

Starting with the new streamer, the Roku Express 4K+ will cost $40 and replace the current Roku Premiere player when it starts shipping in mid-May. It has the similarly small and slightly curved design of the existing Roku Express, but now it can output 4K HDR video instead of basic 1080p. It won't support Dolby Vision HDR—that will remain limited to the high-end Roku Ultra—but it will support HDR10 and HDR10+. (The latter will also arrive on the Ultra via a software update.) Like other Roku players, it also supports Apple's AirPlay 2 and HomeKit for direct streaming and Siri (or Home app) control, respectively, from an iOS device or Mac.

Roku says the Express 4K+ has a more powerful processor that supplies performance comparable to that of the $50 Roku Streaming Stick+, as well as more internal storage space than the Premiere. Also included is a voice remote with TV controls, again similar to the one found with the Streaming Stick+. The Express 4K+ adds support for dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi (the Premiere only had less robust single-band wireless) as well as Micro USB Ethernet adapters, though it won't have the 2x2 MIMO wireless tech of the Streaming Stick+ for better handling crowded Wi-Fi networks.

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Dell XPS 13 now available an OLED display

The Dell XPS 13 (9310) thin and light laptop with an 11th-gen Tiger Lake processor is now available with an optional high-resolution OLED touchscreen display. It’s one of four display options available for this compact laptops, but it’s a …

The Dell XPS 13 (9310) thin and light laptop with an 11th-gen Tiger Lake processor is now available with an optional high-resolution OLED touchscreen display. It’s one of four display options available for this compact laptops, but it’s a premium feature that carries a premium price tag: you’ll have to add about $300 to the […]

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Dell Inspiron 13 is a compact notebook with up to a 2.5K display and Core i7-11370H processor

Dell is refreshing its Inspiron laptop lineup with a range of new models featuring 13 inch to 15.6 inch displays and AMD Ryzen 5000U or 11th-gen Intel Core processor options. One of the most interesting though, is the new Dell Inspiron 13 (5310). It&#…

Dell is refreshing its Inspiron laptop lineup with a range of new models featuring 13 inch to 15.6 inch displays and AMD Ryzen 5000U or 11th-gen Intel Core processor options. One of the most interesting though, is the new Dell Inspiron 13 (5310). It’s a compact laptop that measures less than 0.7 inches thick and has […]

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Microsoft makes the Surface Laptop 4 official, offers choice of AMD or Intel

Newest Surface PC offers familiar hardware but a wider range of configurations.

After recent leaks suggested an imminent arrival, Microsoft has officially launched the latest entry in its line of Surface PCs: the Surface Laptop 4.

The new laptop starts at $999 and will be available to purchase in the US, Canada, and Japan as of today, with shipping beginning on April 15. Microsoft says more markets will follow in the “coming weeks.” In the US, those who buy the Surface Laptop 4 through Microsoft or Best Buy before April 15 will get a pair of Surface Earbuds headphones bundled in at no extra cost.

Familiar hardware

As for the device itself, the Surface Laptop 4 is more of a refinement than a reinvention of the previous Surface Laptop 3, which launched in late 2019. That laptop’s build quality was generally well-regarded, and the design here is more or less identical to before.

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The era of reusability in space has begun

“We’re on the cusp of some bigger initiatives.”

Artist's rendering of the Mission Extension Vehicle-2 (foreground) docked to a client satellite.

Enlarge / Artist's rendering of the Mission Extension Vehicle-2 (foreground) docked to a client satellite. (credit: Northrop Grumman)

A large, passenger van-sized spacecraft sidled up to an active, 6-ton satellite on Monday afternoon about 36,000 km above the Earth's surface. Slowly, ever so slowly, the distance between the two vehicles closed.

There was nothing wrong with the satellite, which is 17 years old and owned by Intelsat. All the while on Wednesday, it continued actively delivering broadband and other media services across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. But it was running desperately low on fuel to maintain its position, and Intelsat would have soon had to send the vehicle to a "graveyard" orbit.

And so Intelsat contracted with Northrop Grumman to test its new life extension services. That led to the launch of Northrop's "Mission Extension Vehicle-2" last year, which used fuel-sipping electric propulsion to approach the orbit of Intelsat 10-02 and dock with the active satellite on Wednesday. As a result of this pairing, the satellite will now live on for five more years.

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