93.3 KWTO Keeping Watch Over the Ozarks
After six women developed a rare disorder involving blood clots within about two weeks of receiving the single dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, federal health agencies are calling on an immediate pause in using the vaccine.
All six women were between the ages of 18 and 48. One woman died and a second woman in Nebraska is in the hospital in critical condition.
Nearly seven million people in the U-S have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, including more than six-thousand people in Springfield during last week’s mega vaccination event at Hammons Student Center.
The FDA says pausing use of the vaccine is out of an abundance of caution, and right now, these adverse affects appear to be extremely rare.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services released the following statement Tuesday morning:
JEFFERSON CITY, MO — Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine administration is being paused in Missouri until further notice.
“In an abundance of caution and as per federal guidelines, we are pausing vaccination with Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine until further notice in Missouri,” said Dr. Randall Williams, director of the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). “We anticipate having more information shortly to make further decisions about overall vaccine distribution in light of this new development and will continue to update citizens who have been vaccinated with the J&J vaccine after the advisory committee meets at the federal level tomorrow.”
A new standing order for this vaccine has been issued by DHSS and is effective immediately.
People who have received the J&J vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider. Patients with other clinical questions should contact their health care provider or call the COVID-19 hotline at 877-435-8411.
Providers are asked to keep any on-hand J&J vaccine in the appropriate storage unit and label it “quarantine-do not use” until further notice.
As the State of Missouri receives more information, it will be made available.
· Joint CDC and FDA Statement on Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine