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J&J | AP A vial of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in Belgium. Third vaccine approved

J&J’s one-dose shot cleared for usage

BY RILEY GRIFFIN BLOOMBERG NEWS

NEW YORK — Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine was cleared for use in the U.S., making a third shot available that could plug gaps in the na- tion’s immunization campaign as concern grows over an infl ux of virus variants. The Food and Drug Admin- istration said in a statement on Saturday that it had granted an Courtesy Photos emergency-use authorization Top row from left, Amado Garcia, Eustolia Villarreal, Jose Luis Garay, Daria Vera and Alfredo Alaniz. Second row from left, Jose Luis and Guadalupe for the single-dose vaccine for Alanis, Graciela Gonzalez, Lupe Hernandez, Jesse Zuniga and Mary Saenz. Third row from left, Yolanda Guerra, Alberto Ybarra, Pete Torres, Jose Moreno people 18 and older. and Heidi Saenz. Fourth row from left, Enrique Henry Maldonado, Tomas and Graciela Treviño, Alicia Ortiz, Perfecto Salas and Cruz Huijon. See VACCINE | 11A Museum reflects on impact of series 164 new honoring Valley lives lost to COVID-19 virus BY FRANCISCO E. JIMÉNEZ numbers of cases, deaths and effects the pandemic has Bearing Witness series STAFF WRITER hospitalizations, the actual had on local residents, but to in partnership with The toll the virus has had on the paint a more intimate picture Monitor, which together deaths; fewer here have been community may get lost in of the devastation left in the with sister publications 2,629 deaths related the numbers. wake of the coronavirus and to COVID-19 in Chief Executive Offi cer humanize the victims and and Hidalgo County Francisco Guajardo of the their families. published the museum’s in hospital Tsince the pandemic struck Museum of South Texas Together with stories about the victims of the region nearly a year History in Edinburg took it MOSTHistory Exhibits the disease. ago. But with near-daily upon himself to look deeper, Coordinator Melissa Peña, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS updates sharing the growing not only to document the Guajardo created the See LIVES | 11A AUSTIN — Texas reported 164 more deaths Friday from the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, but CO- VID-19 hospitalizations con- After blackouts, will companies keep moving here? tinue to plummet. The Texas Department of State Health Services said the BY MITCHELL SCHNURMAN ral gas supply. state’s COVID-19 deaths totaled DALLAS MORNING NEWS The power outages led to dozens 42,739. The state’s confi rmed of deaths, billions in damages and and probable coronavirus cas- For years, people and companies questions about grid reliability and es rose by 8,103 to 2,640,209. have fl ocked to Texas for economic Texas’ deregulated electric market. An estimated 161,316 of those reasons, from fast job growth to no But prospective newcomers are cases were active Saturday, state income taxes. still touring sites, apparently unde- 88,917 fewer than on Friday, of- Don’t overlook another strength terred by recent events. fi cials said. of Texas’ pro-business climate: “We haven’t had a client say any- Of those active cases, 5,912 abundant, cheap energy. thing negative so far,” said King required hospitalization as of That’s fueled the so-called Texas White, CEO and founder of Site Se- Friday, the state’s most recent miracle, ensuring that essential lection Group in Dallas. total made available. That was services could keep up with the His fi rm was working with a food 1,067 fewer than Sunday and population growth. production company that plans to 273 fewer than Thursday. But Texas will have to rewrite invest $100 million and hire 500 for Over the past two weeks, the the narrative after a brutal winter a new facility. He said offi cials were rolling average number of daily storm left over 4 million residents walking through local locations this Omar Vega | Dallas Morning News | TNS new cases in Texas has fallen freezing in the dark. Nearly 5 mil- week, doing their due diligence. Texas has generally had a reliable electric grid, along with lower rates than the by 3,012.6, a decrease of 27.4%, lion more in Mexico lost power, U.S. average. But a subzero winter storm knocked out almost half the state’s according to fi gures from Johns often due to problems with natu- See BLACKOUTS | 8A electric generation and left over 4 million Texans without power — some for days. Hopkins University.

TODAY’S WEATHER | 2A Mostly cloudy HIGH 89 LOW 69 JOBTogether OPPORTUNITIES We Will Persevere. AVAILABLE We Are Here For You. APPLY ONLINE TODAY AT #ValleyUnited An AIM Media Texas LONESTARNATIONALBANK.COM1-800-580-0322 Newspaper Vol. 112, No. 212 www.lonestarnationalbank.com 38 Pages, 5 Sections SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | , www.themonitor.com 11A

VACCINE two days. Policy makers are eager From Page 1A to get more people immu- The decision comes after nized before virus muta- the U.S. hit a sad milestone tions can take fi rmer hold with 500,000 Americans in the U.S. dead from the virus, and at J&J’s vaccine provided a time when health offi cials less protection against are raising alarms that re- the new variants, trial cent declines in the number data suggested. In Brazil, of new cases may be stalling. the shot was 68% effec- The J&J shot is highly tive against moderate- effective at preventing se- to-severe disease 28 days vere COVID-19, with no after vaccination, while Brendan Smialowski | Pool | AP serious side effects, agen- in South Africa it was 64% A placard is displayed with an image of the late U.S. Capitol cy staff said in a report effective. But across the Police offi cer Brian Sicknick on Feb. 2 at the Capitol Rotunda Wednesday. On Friday, a globe, including in coun- committee of outside ad- tries with emerging vari- in Washington, D.C. visers to the FDA voted ants, the shot successfully unanimously that the vac- prevented all hospitaliza- cine’s benefi ts outweigh tions and deaths. Sources: Investigators any risks. In the week Mathai Mammen, the ahead, J&J is prepared to seen higher rates of virus 43,000-person global trial, head of global research and ship 3 million to 4 million cases and deaths. it was found to be 72% ef- development for J&J’s phar- pinpoint suspect in doses, Biden administra- The authorization fective at preventing mod- maceutical division, said tion offi cials have said. comes as the inoculation erate to severe COVID. in an interview last month “We’re in a race between drive in the U.S. has ac- That is a lower overall ef- that it’s impossible to com- officer’s riot death the virus mutating — new celerated, with more than fi cacy rate than the Pfi zer- pare overall effi cacy levels variants coming out that 70.5 million doses given BioNTech and Moderna between the vaccines, given BY MICHAEL BALSAMO now believe Sicknick may could cause further disease as of Friday, according vaccines, which are based that the trials were carried THE ASSOCIATED PRESS have ingested a chemical — and stopping it,” said Jay to Bloomberg’s Vaccine on technology called mes- out in different locations at substance — possibly bear Portnoy, director of the divi- Tracker. At the same time, senger RNA that primes the different times in the course WASHINGTON — Fed- spray — during the riot sion of allergy, asthma and the rise of new coronavi- body to ward off the virus. of the pandemic. eral investigators probing that may have contributed immunology at Children’s rus variants has increased Each of those was found to “What people fear is get- the death of a U.S. Capi- to his death, the offi cials Mercy Hospital, who sup- the urgency to get more be more than 90% effective. ting sick, so sick they have tol Police offi cer killed in said. ported an emergency au- people vaccinated. Still, all three shots are to go to an emergency the Jan. 6 riot have zeroed The people could not thorization. “We need to get New fast-spreading mu- extremely reliable at pre- room, or hospital, and in on a suspect seen on publicly discuss the details this vaccine out.” tations fi rst reported in venting hospitalizations even die,” he said “This video appearing to spray of an ongoing investigation The clearance marks the U.K., South Africa and and deaths. And J&J’s does vaccine, in a single shot, a chemical substance on and spoke to The Associ- another milestone in an Brazil have appeared in that quickly, with protec- protects completely from the offi cer before he later ated Press on condition of unprecedented global sci- the U.S., while domestic tion against severe disease that kind of fear.” collapsed and died, two anonymity. entifi c sprint. Since the variants spotted in Califor- starting only seven days af- J&J is still testing a two- people familiar with the Sicknick died after de- World Health Organiza- nia and New York are rais- ter vaccination, and ramp- shot regimen in a large, matter told The Associ- fending the Capitol against tion declared the corona- ing new concerns among ing up over the course of global trial that is expected ated Press. the mob that stormed the virus a pandemic nearly some scientists. about two months. to produce results before The FBI has obtained building as Congress was a year ago, numerous J&J is on track to sup- Public-health offi cials year-end. Like Pfi zer and video that shows the per- voting to certify Joe Biden’s vaccines have been de- ply 20 million doses to the hope that as more people Moderna, the company is son spraying Brian Sick- electoral win over Don- ployed around the world, U.S. by the end of March, get them, they will greatly working on boosters tai- nick and other law en- ald Trump. It came after including shots devel- and 100 million by the end reduce the strain the pan- lored to the variants. And it forcement offi cers during Trump urged supporters oped in China and Russia. of June, an executive said demic has placed on the plans studies soon in chil- the Jan. 6 riot, the people on the National Mall to Worldwide, more than 231 at a congressional hearing health care system. Already, dren, pregnant women and said. But they cautioned “fi ght like hell” to overturn million doses have been on Feb. 23. Globally, J&J more people in the U.S. the immunocompromised. that federal agents haven’t his defeat. administered in 100 coun- expects to produce 1 bil- have received at least one J&J executives have said yet identifi ed the suspect The circumstances sur- tries, according to data lion doses this year. Reg- vaccine dose than have the company will charge by name and the act hasn’t rounding Sicknick’s death collected by Bloomberg. ulators in the European tested positive for the virus. no more than $10 a dose been directly tied to Sick- remain unclear and a fi nal J&J’s shot is expected to Union could clear the shot The FDA prescribing for the vaccine during the nick’s death. cause of death has not yet be easier to distribute and in early March. document for J&J’s vaccine pandemic — a price at The idea that Sicknick been determined. Capitol administer than the Pfi zer J&J’s shot is unlikely to said not to give it to individ- which it won’t profi t. The died after being sprayed Police have said he died Inc.-BioNTech SE vaccine be the last to come avail- uals with a known history Pfi zer-BioNTech vaccine by a chemical irritant has after he was injured “while and the Moderna Inc. shot able in the U.S. Both As- of severe allergic reaction, costs the U.S. $39 for the emerged in recent weeks physically engaging with that were cleared by the trazeneca Plc and Novavax including anaphylaxis, and full regimen, and the Mod- as a new theory in the case. protesters” and this week, FDA late last year. To reach Inc. are expected to seek that sites giving the shots erna vaccine costs $33 for Investigators initially be- the agency’s acting chief full effectiveness, the earli- authorization in the com- must have treatments for both doses. lieved that Sicknick was hit said offi cials consider it a er shots require two doses ing months for their vac- managing such reactions. New Brunswick, New in the head with a fi re ex- line-of-duty death. several weeks apart. They cines, pending results of The same protocols are in Jersey-based J&J has spent tinguisher, based on state- Sicknick collapsed later must also must be kept at big U.S. trials that are now place for the shots from more than a century com- ments collected early in on, was hospitalized and very cold temperatures, fully enrolled. Pfi zer and Moderna. bating infectious diseases. the investigation, accord- died. The Justice Depart- while J&J’s doses can be J&J’s vaccine is made The most commonly It created the so-called ing to one of the people ment opened a federal stored in a refrigerator for from a common cold vi- reported side effects were Epidemic Mask to pre- and another law enforce- murder investigation into long periods. rus that doesn’t replicate pain at the injection site, vent the spread of the 1918 ment offi cial briefed on his death, but prosecutors Its simplicity could in the body but triggers an headache, fatigue, muscle Spanish Flu, and devel- the case. But as they’ve are still evaluating what make J&J’s shot especially immune response to fi ght aches and nausea. Most oped an Ebola vaccine that collected more evidence, specifi c charges could be benefi cial for hard-to- off infection. In the U.S. were mild to moderate in was approved in Europe in the theory of the case has brought in the case, the reach rural areas that have portion of a more than severity and lasted one to 2020. evolved and investigators people said.

LIVES thought that we wanted to write others and what love did for them. the gravity of the losses felt by cautious. She said Bearing Witness up stories on people who were “It was great. It was really great. the families, the circumstances also helped her family cope with From Page 1A dying,” Guajardo said. “When We really, truly appreciated that in which some didn’t have the their loss, particularly Heidi’s “The reason why it was brought the conversation began around he was fi rst. We felt very honored opportunity to say goodbye to 9-year-old daughter Madison, up to begin with was at the writing up stories, doing stories that our father was chosen to be their loved ones, and the despair who keeps a copy of her mother’s beginning of the pandemic, I that recognized, stories that the fi rst one in the series.” of having no means of consoling story in a sheet protector. started a COVID-19 collection,” uplifted people who had been Guajardo said that another the people left behind. “All I can say is that it gave a face Peña said. “I was pulling in offi cial victimized by COVID-19, we source of inspiration for the series “I’m going to say right off the to the virus,” Saenz said. “These documentation and materials thought, ‘Why don’t we interview was the loss of a museum staff bat, I cried every single time,” were real people going about their that our county was putting out family members who can give member, Sandra Luna, who died Peña said. “I cried with the family daily business, being careful and or the state of us context and in July 2020. When it came time because they cried, and then yet they still got sick and they Texas was putting background to these to give the series a name, he said Francisco would write the piece died. I was really impressed with out. We noticed people who were “Bearing Witness” was chosen and I would cry again. I can say the series.” that it was very dying?’” because the series would feature that if I didn’t cry, then we would Guajardo said he hopes he was cold and bland. Guajardo and people who witnessed the loss of go back and rework the piece. able to convey the sense of family We’d seen how Peña took these their loved ones. Like, OK, we need to tell the story and resiliency that is characteristic people had come to the museum stories and wrote them as a way “It’s important that we bear a little differently.” of Valley residents. He said that looking for anything on the last to celebrate their lives, people witness to people, and then we Recognizing that the work should Bearing Witness now serves as a pandemic which was the Spanish who Guajardo said had their lives talk about it,” Guajardo said. aim to be as profound as the losses reminder of the power of family infl uenza, and we didn’t really unceremoniously taken. Each entry was compiled the museum was documenting, and the power of community have anything.” The fi rst entry in the series by Guajardo and Peña, who she noted the importance of in the face of unprecedented Now, after telling 20 stories of 22 was published Oct. 12, 2020, and interviewed family members on empathizing with the families while struggle. people who died because of the featured Amado Garcia, who died their own time when they weren’t penning the stories. “It was being there for each virus, the weekly series published due to the disease on Aug. 22. His working with the museum. The “You relate to each one of them other,” Guajardo said. “I was every Monday will come to an son, Abel Garcia, said that the process usually consisted of an when you’re sitting there talking reminded of that time and again end. series helped his family not only interview conducted via Zoom, to this person who’s lost someone through these interviews.” Concluding Monday, Bearing with the publication of his father’s which was recorded and archived to this insane pandemic, you Stephan Wingert, publisher Witness told heartbreaking story, but in reading the stories by the museum. can’t help but think of your own of AIM Media Texas’ daily stories of families who lost several from other families with shared Guajardo and Peña mom or your uncle,” Peña said. newspapers The Monitor, Valley members to COVID-19, others tragedy. collaborated on the writing “Also, we’re doing this over Zoom, Morning Star and Brownsville whose mothers and fathers “It really helped us to refl ect process along with the families, so you can’t reach out and touch Herald, considered it their died, and more recently a comic positively on the whole situation. with some relatives deciding to them and hold their hand through responsibility to the Valley strip from a Seattle author and Even though it’s a hard situation, pen their own stories. it or give them a hug or comfort community to partner with cartoonist so moved by the series we felt it was a celebration of my “This was really about helping them in some way. You’re sitting MOSTHistory in its endeavor to he decided to honor his uncle, father,” Garcia said. “As I read the family to heal,” Guajardo said. there staring at your computer honor and remember the victims Cruz Huijon, in his own unique other people’s stories, it was a He added that he hoped that screen, and it’s just a sense of and their families. way. real nice cross-section of our the stories would also create helplessness.” “If we’re only recording the In fact, Bearing Witness is population — our community. understanding in the community Jessica Saenz lost her sister death tolls, case tallies and ending with another comic strip To know that my dad was part of by showing that the virus was Heidi unexpectedly on Aug. 3, hospitalization rates of this in Monday’s newspaper, an this community and people got to something real and should be 2020 Her story was featured in the horrifi c disease, then we’re not illustration that will honor the hear his story meant a lot to us. taken seriously. Bearing Witness series on Jan. 17. doing our job,” Wingert said. lives of several more individuals He said each member of his “We wanted to write about “It was a very unexpected “We believed in the museum’s before saying farewell. family received a copy of the people who were very under the thing,” Saenz said. “I don’t know if idea to honor the dead, and For Peña, the series newspaper with his father’s story. radar,” Guajardo said. “We were ‘validated’ is the right word, but it felt it was our duty to highlight accomplished what cold hard Some had it framed. not interested in the high-profi le validated not just my sister’s life, their work and the lives lost numbers could never achieve: “It meant a lot that our father people because those people get but all the other people that we by putting them in print — sentiment. was in the fi rst article because enough attention. We wanted to read about. They mattered. They embedding their names in Specifi cally, she said the culture of the timing of it,” Garcia said. do completely under-the-radar were important. They were real. I recorded history for generations of the — one “It was the timing of it that really people and uplift their lives. That’s think that maybe people reading to know who and what we lost. rooted in family, warmth and helped us heal as a family. Seeing what we wanted to do because about them and about this thing “We thank Francisco and his hospitality — was not being how it was featured and the honor that’s what most of us are like. not discriminating, not caring staff at MOSTHistory for their conveyed in the statistics shared it had in it, the love message that “... Every single one of the stories about how old you are — young; work, and of course the families by the governing bodies. This it had and all the other articles did was memorable and emotional old; weak; strong; sick; healthy — who participated in an effort we inspired her and Guajardo to too, it wasn’t just about showing and moving. I don’t remember a it’s just going to get you.” and the entire community won’t create the series. people the different residents who single one that wasn’t.” Saenz added that the series forget.” “In addition to building a had lost their lives. It was showing Peña said the work moved made the pandemic more real collection on the pandemic, we how those people impacted her to tears as she understood for people and hopefully more [email protected]