CDC recommends use of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine resume
On April 23, the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommend use of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine resume in the United States, after a temporary pause.
Reports of adverse events following the use of J&J/Janssen vaccine suggest an increased risk of a rare adverse event called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). Nearly all reports of this serious condition, which involves blood clots with low platelets, have been in adult women younger than 50 years old.
A review of all available data at this time shows that the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks. However, women younger than 50 years old should be aware of the rare but increased risk of this adverse event and that there are other COVID-19 vaccine options available for which this risk has not been seen. ICHS has been delivering Moderna COVID-19 vaccines since Dec. 2020 and Janssen vaccines since March 2021. ICHS also began administering Pfizer vaccines on April 23 at its Bellevue clinic.
CDC and FDA will continue to monitor the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines. Seek medical care right away if you develop any of the symptoms below after receiving the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. For three weeks after receiving the vaccine, you should be on the lookout for possible symptoms of a blood clot with low platelets. These include:
- Severe or persistent headaches or blurred vision
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Leg swelling
- Persistent abdominal pain
- Easy bruising or tiny blood spots under the skin beyond the injection site
Seek medical care right away if you develop one or more of these symptoms.
For the most recent updates, please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/JJUpdate.html
For ICHS’ vaccine frequently asked questions page, please click here.
Additional resources
Visit the Public Health – Seattle & King County website for the latest information and updates about vaccine development and distribution.