CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The U.S. is recommending a “pause” in using the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to investigate reports of potentially dangerous blood clots.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday they were investigating unusual clots that occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. The clots occurred in veins that drain blood from the brain and occurred together with low platelets. All six cases were in women between the ages of 18 and 48; there was one death and all remained under investigation.
More than 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the U.S., the vast majority with no or mild side effects.
Federally run mass vaccination sites will pause the use of the J&J shot, and states and other providers are expected to follow. The other two authorized vaccines, from Moderna and Pfizer, make up the vast share of COVID-19 shots administered in the U.S. and are not affected by the pause.
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State-run sites in Illinois
In response to the recommendation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Illinois Department of Public Health will pause the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine out of an abundance of caution.
IDPH has notified all Illinois COVID-19 providers throughout the state to discontinue use of the J&J vaccine at this time. In order to keep appointments, IDPH is strongly advising providers to use Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.
Moderna and Pfizer make up the vast majority of doses on hand in the State of Illinois. This week, the state’s allocation of J&J was 17,000 doses. For the week of April 18, 2021, the expected allocation for the State is 483,720 total doses. Of that total allocation, 5,800 doses were expected to be J&J.
City of Chicago sites
The City of Chicago has also paused administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine while federal health officials complete a review.
The Chicago Department of Public Health said in a statement, "We are working closely with our partners at the federal and local level to determine how this impacts the city’s vaccine operations. Federal agencies are investigating very rare reports of a severe type of blood clot with low platelets that occurred in 6 individuals after receiving the J&J vaccine, among nearly 7 million people who have received J&J across the U.S. We are not aware of any local cases. While incredibly rare, anyone who has received the J&J vaccine who develops severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after their vaccination should contact their health provider. This recommendation does not affect Pfizer or Moderna vaccine in any way. Vaccination remains critical to protect Chicagoans from COVID-19 and we will share more information as we receive it."
Cook County sites
Cook County is pausing use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, county health officials said Tuesday.
"Following guidance released this morning from the US Food and Drug Administration and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cook County Health will pause the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine until the FDA and CDC complete their review," a spokeswoman for Cook County Health said in a statement Tuesday morning.
Individuals with appointments for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week will instead receive the first dose of either Moderna or Pfizer's vaccine, depending on the vaccination site, the county said. Anyone who has a scheduled appointment but does not want the Moderna or the Pfizer vaccine should call 833-308-1988 to cancel or reschedule their appointment, officials said.
The release of 35,000 appointments slated for Tuesday afternoon will not include Johnson & Johnson, according to the county.
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"The Cook County Department of Public Health has asked all Johnson & Johnson partners to pause using the vaccine as well," the county said, adding that it will provide additional information "as it becomes available."
Aurora
Following guidance from the CDC to pause on the usage of Johnson & Johnson vaccines, the State of Illinois has canceled the clinic scheduled Tuesday, April 13 at the state-run mass vaccination site at 970 N. Lake Street in Aurora.
The 1,000 appointments scheduled for Tuesday can be rescheduled for an upcoming vaccination clinic where the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines will be used. There we no additional Johnson & Johnson clinics scheduled after Tuesday.
CVS and Walgreens
CVS and Walgreens are pausing use of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration recommended pausing use of the vaccine.
"We can confirm we’re pausing the administration of all J&J vaccines immediately, will share more details soon,” says Walgreens spokesperson Rebekah Pajak.
“We are immediately implementing a pause in the use of the Johnson and Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine per the recommendation from federal health agencies,” according to CVS spokesperson Ethan Slavin.
A CDC committee will meet Wednesday to discuss the cases and the FDA has also launched an investigation into the cause of the clots and low platelet counts.
The agencies are recommending that people who were given the J&J vaccine who are experiencing severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after receiving the shot contact their health care provider.