Health & Science

Philadelphia’s second largest mass clinic, in the middle of the city’s most undervaccinated ZIP code, had to reschedule hundreds of Tuesday appointments.

Gov. Phil Murphy said the statewide pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine would not impact the state’s goal of reaching herd immunity by the end of June.

FEMA has agreed to keep its COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City open through May 26.

The northern connection would be at the former Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in Lacey Twp; the southern connection would be at the former B.L. England plant in Upper Twp.

SCI Phoenix in Montco stopped administering the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine on Friday — the same day a 45-year-old incarcerated man died.

U.S. health officials say women seeking an abortion pill will not be required to visit a doctor’s office or clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic.

State officials urge residents to get any vaccine available as Johnson & Johnson doses could be scarce. Meanwhile, Camden County has 2,000 unclaimed doses on hand.

New studies of experimental updates to the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines mark a critical first step toward an alternative if the virus eventually outsmarts today’s shots.

Many parts of the state opened Phase 1C Monday, but according to the Department of Health, appointments remain available, prompting the change.

“The problem is, as small hospitals go away, there goes your community. Do you want to move to a community that doesn't have a hospital?”

There are many ways to get the shot to someone else: inform your neighbors; assist with appointments; volunteer with local vaccination efforts.

Some of the backlog is for second shots. The health department is working to reduce the overflow.

More than 200 locations are approved to receive doses from the city health department.

Other experts worried that delays could erode faith in governments that were particularly efficient in their vaccination programs and were counting on second doses soon.

About 40,000 babies are born with heart defects annually. The FDA approved a procedure less invasive than the surgery many get during their lives.