Health officers from around the Bay Area released joint statements on Sunday supporting the findings of Western States Scientific Safety Review that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is safe. They say that Bay Area health providers should resume administering the J&J vaccine to prevent further spread of COVID-19.
Health officers from Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Solano counties and the City of Berkeley said they are in agreement that the risk of developing the rare clotting disorder is extremely low, while they also support the addition of a warning label so the public can make an informed decision.
According to the CDC, there have only been 15 confirmed cases of the clotting event from the nearly eight million vaccines distributed across the U.S.
In contrast, the risk of dying from a confirmed case of COVID-19 is 1 in 56 according to the press release.
After the CDC and FDA lifted the 11-day pause on the J&J vaccine on Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Saturday that California is set to resume administering shot immediately.
Health officials note that people who have received the J&J vaccine should contact their primary healthcare provider if they develop severe symptoms of headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination.
"The public is strongly urged to get vaccinated as soon as possible. All vaccines are proven to be highly effective at preventing hospitalization or death from COVID-19, and people who are fully vaccinated are also much less likely to be contagious or transmit the virus to someone else," Bay Area health officials said in the statement. "The longer you wait to get vaccinated, the greater the risk of contracting COVID-19, and infecting a friend, loved one, or coworker.
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