Information on the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Pause
What happened-
- CDC and FDA have recommended a pause in the use of Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after six cases of a rare but serious blood clot condition in individuals who received the J&J vaccine. The pause is intended to allow time to prepare healthcare providers to recognize and diagnose patients, treat them appropriately, and report cases that may be related to the vaccine.
- As of April 12, 2021, approximately 6.85 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine (Janssen) have been administered in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are reviewing data involving six U.S. cases of a rare type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the J&J COVID-19 vaccine that were reported to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS).
- CDC has provided initial data about this rare type of blood clot and the six women who developed them in its April 13 Health Alert Network (HAN) message, and we are awaiting further presentation of data during tomorrow’s emergency meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The blood clot was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets. All six cases occurred in women between the ages of 18-49 and between 6-13 days after vaccination with J&J vaccine.
What you need to know-
- If you received the J&J vaccine more than a month ago, the risk is very low at this time.
- If you have received the J&J COVID-19 vaccine in the last few weeks, you should be aware of these symptoms. If you develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination, contact your healthcare provider, or go to the emergency room or urgent care. Let your healthcare providers know that you recently received J&J vaccine.
- We continue to encourage those with currently scheduled appointments for Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to keep their appointments and move forward with vaccination.
- If you are scheduled to receive the J&J vaccine, please contact your healthcare provider, vaccination location, or clinic to schedule another appointment for a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
