Just days after a CDC advisory panel recommended lifting the pause on Johnson and Johnson's vaccine, UCSF doctors say they are treating the first known case of a man who developed a blood clot after getting the shot.
UCSF reports the man is in his 30’s and got the vaccine on Apr. 8. About eight days later he complained of pain in his lower back and leg, and tests showed low platelet levels similar to what was seen in the 15 women who experienced clots after getting their Johnson and Johnson vaccinations.
Doctors say he was treated for a clot in his leg and should be discharged in a few days.
“This is a treatable condition. This was recognized and he was appropriately treated just like you’re supposed to be,” said Dr. George Rutherford, head of the Prevention and Public Health group at UCSF.
He says it was not a surprise to discover a new case in California.
“This is within this expected rate of this rare complication. One in a million – we figure there have been 2.7, 2.8 million doses of J&J given in California, so to have one complication like this is not unexpected."
Rutherford said the clots are rare but treatable if it is caught early. Health officials say people who get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should speak to a doctor if they develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks.
Santa Clara County officials say they will wait to resume the shot until the state puts out patient literature and warnings in multiple languages.
But a new poll from the Washington Post and ABC News found that fewer than one in four Americans who are not vaccinated yet say they would be okay with getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Half of unvaccinated adults said they believed the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are safe, compared to just 28% who believe the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is safe.
While the poll was conducted before the CDC lifted the pause, it shows that health officials may face an uphill battle in dispensing this vaccine.
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