More than a dozen states took steps Tuesday to stop vaccinations of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine shortly after the Food and Drug Administration recommended discontinuing use after some women reportedly developed a rare bleeding disorder had.
States, like the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stressed that they are proceeding with great caution as more than 6.8 million doses of the vaccine have been injected by J&J and only six of the cases of blood clotting are have been reported to have done so far.
New York Heath Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said the state will “immediately” stop giving the single-dose J&J vaccine and instead use Pfizer’s two-shot vaccine for appointments already scheduled.
At least 20 other states and Washington, DC, also announced that they are removing J & J’s vaccine doses from their distribution plans.
The New Jersey Department of Health said all vaccination centers in the state have “been instructed to cancel or postpone appointments for the J&J vaccine until further notice.” The agency said it will work with these sites to replace J&J appointments with an alternative two-dose vaccine.
Virginia “will discontinue all Johnson & Johnson vaccines,” while the FDA is investigating the “extremely rare potential side effect,” according to a statement from state vaccination coordinator Dr. Danny Avula.
The Connecticut Department of Health recommended all Covid vaccine providers to “discontinue” use of J & J’s vaccine while the FDA and CDC complete their review.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and senior health officials in his state issued a similar advisory opinion.
The Massachusetts Department of Health has announced that all vaccine providers in the state will cease administering the J&J vaccine “with immediate effect.”
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