The nation's top health officials testified before Congress Thursday as the U.S. enters a critical phase in its battle to emerge from the Covid pandemic.
White House health advisor Anthony Fauci, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky, and the Biden administration Covid response chief science officer David Kessler faced at times heated questions before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis.
Their testimony comes after the Food and Drug Administration earlier this week recommended that states pause the use of Johnson & Johnson's one-shot vaccine after six women reported blood clots and one died.
The call to press pause on J&J vaccinations comes ahead of a crucial milestone in the country's immunization campaign, with nearly 50% of the U.S. adult population having received at least one vaccine dose. The U.S. is currently administering 3.3 million shots a day on average.
Walensky said the CDC is committed to transparency as it investigates the blood clot cases and will provide updates as they become available. Fauci indicated that a decision on whether to recommend resuming J&J vaccinations could come soon.
Fauci repeatedly clashed with GOP Rep. Jim Jordan on when life can return to normal. The White House health advisor said new infections need to fall well below 10,000 cases a day.
Fauci also said that the medical and scientific communities hope to develop a universal coronavirus vaccine that can cover all possible variants.
You can watch the testimony below:
Here are the key highlights from the hearing:
- Fauci: Universal Covid vaccine is the endgame
- Americans should expect a Covid booster shot, Kessler says
- CDC committed to transparency on J&J vaccine, Walensky says
- Fauci pushes back on study that found Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca recipients had same rate of blood clots
- Fauci and Jordan clash over Covid health precautions