On April 13, the CDC and FDA recommended a pause on the administration of Janssen’s Johnson & Johnson one-dose COVID-19 vaccine, while health authorities review six instances of an extremely rare type of blood clot in several vaccine recipients. Providence is following this guidance.
To date, more than seven million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been administered. These events appear to be very rare, amounting to a potential risk of one in a million. The recommendation to pause and investigate was made out of an abundance of caution and is a sign that the process in place to monitor for potential adverse events is working and helping to keep people safe.
The CDC and FDA are reviewing these cases for potential significance this week, and we expect more information in the coming days and weeks. In the meantime, health authorities recommend that Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients should contact their health care provider if they develop these symptoms within three weeks of getting the vaccine: a headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath.
While it’s incredibly important that we assess the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as U.S. health authorities are doing now, it’s equally important that we continue to vaccinate our communities with the other COVID-19 vaccines available today, in line with state and federal guidelines and as supply allows.
As variants become more widespread and cases rise in some of our communities, continued vaccination is paramount to keep us safe and to put an end to this pandemic.
More information about the pause can be found here.
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