On April 13, 2021, CDC and FDA recommended a pause in the use of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. Of the nearly 7 million doses administered so far in the United States, a small number of reports of a rare and severe type of blood clot have been reported in people after receiving the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. All reports occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred six to 13 days after vaccination. As of April 13, 2021, of the more than 180 million doses administered so far of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, no reports matching those associated with the J&J/Janssen vaccine have been received.
The CDC also noted that the use of this vaccine is ‘paused’ for now. This is because the safety systems that make sure vaccines are safe received a small number of reports of a rare and severe type of blood clot happening in people who got this vaccine.
We do not know enough yet to say if the vaccine is related to or caused this health issue. To be extra careful, CDC and FDA recommend that the vaccine not be given until we learn more.
If you got this vaccine, seek medical care urgently if you develop any of the following symptoms:
- severe headache,
- backache,
- new neurologic symptoms,
- severe abdominal pain,
- shortness of breath,
- leg swelling,
- tiny red spots on the skin (petechiae), or
- new or easy bruising
