Big Idea
- The CDC and the FDA are recommending a pause in the distribution of the Johnson & Johnson “Janssen” vaccine
- More than 6.8 million doses have been administered
- There have been six reported US cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals
- Yavapai County has distributed 132,706 vaccines with 55,744 of them being second shots
- Read more...
If you have an appointment for a J&J vaccine, you have other opportunities to receive the Moderna vaccine
This morning the CDC and FDA released a joint statement (below) recommending a pause in the distribution of the Johnson and Johnson “Janssen” vaccine. (See partial text and link below)
As of April 12, more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine have been administered in the U.S. CDC and FDA are reviewing data involving six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the J&J vaccine. In these cases, a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia). All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. Treatment of this specific type of blood clot is different from the treatment that might typically be administered. Usually, an anticoagulant drug called heparin is used to treat blood clots. In this setting, administration of heparin may be dangerous, and alternative treatments need to be given.
Yavapai County Community Health Services Director Leslie Horton said, "If you have an appointment for, or plan to attend an upcoming event providing J&J vaccine, due to this pause in use, events and appointments will either be postponed or canceled. Please go to our website Yavapai.US/CHS to find other opportunities to receive the Moderna vaccine in the meanwhile. We will provide updates as we receive them."
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a division of the CDC, will be reviewing the 6 cases where blood clots were discovered tomorrow, and will make their recommendation later this week.
Yavapai County has distributed 132,706 vaccines with 55,744 of them being second shots or are now fully vaccinated. The Covid-19 test numbers can be found at Yavapai.us/CHS