April 26, 2021

Dear Friends,

A majority of the Members of the House of Representatives are fully vaccinated. The most successful and beneficial legislation is bipartisan in nature. To make that happen, we must be able to build and maintain relationships with those on both sides of the aisle. Continuing to keep Members isolated with remote hearings and proxy voting prevents those relationships from developing. Last week, I led a letter alongside Members of the GOP Doctors Caucus asking for the timeline of when COVID-19 restrictions will be removed from the House chamber.

National Update:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have lifted their pause on the J&J COVID-19 vaccination, and recommend the use of the vaccine. Following the announcement from the CDC and FDA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will resume administering the J&J COVID-19 vaccine at federal community vaccination centers.

• The CDC released the first U.S. data discussing the safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines given during pregnancy. According to a study by the New England Journal of Medicine, pregnant women can safely protect themselves from severe cases of COVID-19 by receiving either the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
• The CDC released a new publication discussing the long term effects of COVID-19.

Sanofi will provide manufacturing support for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in the United States.

North Texas Update:

Since March 29th, all adults in Texas are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Week 20 COVID-19 vaccine allocations are posted here.

Until next time, this is your doctor's note.

Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D.