Georgia pauses use of Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccines. Here’s what to know
The Georgia Department of Public Health is pausing its use of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recommendation Tuesday.
The FDA and Centers for Disease Control are currently reviewing six reported cases of a rare type of blood clot that occurred six to 13 days after vaccination, according to a release from DPH.
“As of 4/12, 6.8 million plus doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the U.S. CDC FDA are reviewing data involving 6 reported U.S. cases of a rare & severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the vaccine. Right now, these adverse events appear to be extremely rare,” the FDA said in a Tweet.
Until more information is known, the FDA and CDC are urging agencies to pause their use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The reported blood clots, called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, were all among women ages 18 and 48, McClatchy News reported. They developed the symptoms six to 13 days after they received the vaccine.
In addition to the blood clots, the six women also experienced low blood platelet levels. The cases required special treatment , officials said.
A vaccination site at the Cumming Fairgrounds stopped Johnson & Johnson administration last Friday after eight people experienced adverse effects, according to DPH. One person was taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
“There is no reason to believe there is anything wrong with the vaccine itself, and other individuals who have received the J&J vaccine should not be concerned,” said DPH commissioner Kathleen Toomey in a press release. “We are looking into what happened and what may have caused the reactions, including the conditions at the fairgrounds such as heat and the ability to keep the site cool.”
More than 124,000 doses of the J&J vaccine have been safely administered in Georgia, according to a press release. As of Monday, 4,778, 384 Georgia residents have received a COVID vaccine with 1,744,617 residents being fully vaccinated.
The CDC is evaluating the incidents in Georgia and three other states — Iowa, Colorado and North Carolina. None of the reported blood clot cases are connected to Georgia.
This story was originally published April 13, 2021 at 10:32 AM.
