LANSING, Mich. — The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is back after the Federal Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put a brief pause on its use back in April amid concerns of severe side effects.
Here in Ingham County, healthcare workers will once again administer the one-dose vaccine starting Monday. County Health Officer Linda Vail says that having more vaccines to offer will continue to benefit the Ingham County community.
Nearly six million people have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the U.S. alone. The vaccine was investigated by the FDA and CDC after 15 patients complained of rare and sometimes life-threatening blood clots within three weeks of receiving their vaccine. Those patients were all women between the ages of 18 and 49.
Health officials are assuring people that the vaccine is still safe to use after an FDA and CDC joint-council determined the vaccine is allowed to be administered across the country on April 24.
“For some, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may be the best choice. For others, Pfizer or Moderna may be the best choice. With increased supply, people have options. The bottom line is that any of these vaccines is better than no vaccine. The risk for COVID-19 followed by a serious illness or death is significantly higher than the risk for a severe, adverse reaction from the vaccine,” Vail said.
Michigan is one of 31 states that announced they will pick up where they left off and begin administering doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer believed the one-dose shot would become a key element in the state’s vaccination strategy before it was put on hold on April 13.
“While the pause was concerning, it is a sign that our vaccine safety systems are at work ensuring the safety and efficacy of the U.S. vaccine supply,” said Vail.
Prior to the pause, Michigan was boosting the administration of the one-shot vaccine to speed up vaccinations for younger Michiganders and at-risk communities who may have more difficulty getting to a second dose.
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