Florida sees 6,629 new COVID-19 cases as new research shows no significant risk in vaccinating pregnant women

ORLANDO, Fla. – New research released Wednesday from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention shows vaccines do not pose a significant risk to pregnant women.

According to the Associated Press, the preliminary results are based on reports from over 35,000 U.S. women who received either the Moderna or Pfizer shots while pregnant. Their rates of miscarriage, premature births and other complications were comparable to those observed in published reports on pregnant women before the pandemic.

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At the time the study began, Johnson & Johnson vaccines were not yet available. The vaccine remains paused as advisers to the CDC prepare to discuss findings, which is expected to take place Friday.

The European Union’s drug regulatory agency found a “possible link” between the vaccine and rare clots though the agency said the benefits outweigh the risks. Investigations have been underway for reports of unusual clots, including one death, that have occurred after receiving the J&J vaccine.

An 18-year-old woman in Nevada was identified as one of six women in the U.S. who experienced a serious clotting side effect from receiving the J&J vaccine.

The Food and Drug Administration learned through an inspection that a Baltimore factory hired to help make Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine was dirty, didn’t follow proper manufacturing procedures and had poorly trained staff, resulting in contamination of material going into a batch of shots, according to the Associated Press.

The FDA said nothing made at the factory for J&J has been distributed, with the nearly 8 million doses of J&J vaccine given in the U.S. coming from Europe.

[READ YESTERDAY’S REPORT: Florida reports 5,564 new COVID-19 cases as EU drug agency finds J&J vaccine benefits outweigh risks]

Find the state-run COVID-19 dashboard below:

Below is a breakdown of Florida COVID-19 data reported by the state on April 22.

Cases

The Florida Department of Health reported 6,629 new cases on Thursday, bringing the state’s overall total to 2,191,038 cases since the virus was first detected on March 1, 2020.

Deaths

Florida reported 84 new virus-related deaths Thursday, bringing the death toll to 35,378. This number includes the 682 non-residents who died in Florida.

Hospitalizations

As of Thursday afternoon, there were currently 3,411 people with the virus hospitalized in Florida, according to the state Agency for Health Care Administration.

Since last March, 88,958 people have been hospitalized in Florida after complications from COVID-19. That number includes the 206 new patients who have been recently hospitalized due to the virus, according to the health department’s daily report released on Thursday.

Positivity rate

The percent of positive results was 6.19% Wednesday out of 107,050 tests. The numbers reported daily by the state reflect test results from the day prior. Health officials say the rate should remain between 5% and 10% to prove a community has a hold of the virus and is curbing infections.

Vaccinations

The Florida Department of Health began releasing a daily report in December 2020 on COVID-19 vaccines administered throughout the state.

FDOH reports 5,433,599 people are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. These individuals either received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or completed a two-shot series.

As of Thursday, 8,307,032 people have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

Below is the Central Florida region breakdown of new cases, deaths and hospitalizations for Thursday.

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