Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine update

April 14, 2021

On April 13, the CDC and FDA recommended a pause in administering the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine. The pause is a safety protocol taken out of an abundance of caution while medical and public health experts examine data for six cases reported in the U.S. of blood clots in individuals after receiving the Janssen vaccine.

All six cases were women aged 18-48 who developed extremely rare but serious brain blood clots six to 13 days after receiving the Janssen vaccine. These cases represent a fraction of a percent of the 6.8 million people in the United States who have received the Janssen vaccine.

Anyone who received the Janssen vaccine and experiences severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider.

ICHS has been delivering Moderna COVID-19 vaccines since Dec. 2020 and Janssen vaccines since March 2021.

This pause in administering the Janssen vaccine reflects an ongoing process to keep safety as a top priority when it comes to all COVID-19 vaccines. During this pause, ICHS continues to work with public health and community partners to administer Moderna vaccines to protect patients and community members.

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.