This morning, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a statement about recent reports of adverse reactions to the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine and its recommendation to pause administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Based on the federal government’s recommendation and out of an abundance of caution, the Maryland Department of Health has directed all Maryland COVID-19 vaccine providers to pause the administration of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines until further federal guidance is issued.
As a result, all Caroline County J&J clinics scheduled for this week will be converted to Moderna vaccine clinics.
The FDA and CDC noted in their joint statement that right now these adverse events appear to be extremely rare. People who have received the J&J vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider.
Approximately 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the United States. The adverse reactions occurred in six recipients in the United States who developed a rare disorder involving blood clots within about two weeks of vaccination. All six were women between the ages of 18 and 48.
For more information on the pause of the J&J vaccine read our FAQ’s below.
Frequently Asked Question: J&J FDA/CDC Vaccination Pause