US resumes J&J vaccine 'this week'

The United States will likely move to resume Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine this coming week, possibly with restrictions or broader warnings after reports of some very rare blood clot cases, the government's top infectious diseases expert said.

Dr Anthony Fauci said he expects a decision when advisers to the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention meet on Friday to discuss the pause in J&J'S single-dose vaccine.

"I would be very surprised if we don't have a resumption in some form by Friday," he said.

"I don't really anticipate that they're going to want it stretch it out a bit longer."

Dr Fauci said he believed that federal regulators could bring the shots back with restrictions based on age or gender or with a blanket warning.