JOHNSON AND JOHNSON COVID-19 VACCINE RESUMES AFTER HALT
After careful review, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) determined that the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine should resume.
The halt came after reports of six cases of a severe type of blood clot in individuals following administration of the J&J vaccine. Health officials recently discovered nine more cases of blood clots, adding to six cases already identified. However, after looking at available data, the FDA and CDC concluded that the vaccine’s known benefits outweigh known and potential risks in individuals 18 years of age and older.
“I support the ACIP’s recommendation that the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine be used for persons 18 years of age or older in the United States population under the FDA emergency use authorization, and I have signed this recommendation,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Friday.
The rare blood clotting condition is called thrombocytopenia syndrome (or TTS) is linked to J&J’s vaccine. All 15 cases have been among women, and 13 were women under the age of 50. Three died, and seven remain hospitalized. Patients with TTS who received the vaccine started showing symptoms one to two weeks after getting the vaccine.
“That does not mean there is no risk in males. There could be cases we did not identify in the database,” The CDC’s Dr. Shimabukuro said. “There could be cases that become apparent later on that just have not appeared.”
This is not the first Johnson & Johnson incident that raised eyebrows. Last month, the ingredients for up to 15 million vaccine doses were ruined at a Baltimore facility. Last week, Federal inspectors identified a series of problems at the Emergent BioSolutions plant, including cleanliness and safety issues.
