CDC and FDA Calling For A Pause On Johnson & Johnson Covid Vaccine

Both the CDC and FDA are calling for a pause on the administering of the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine.

The J&J shot has been particularly attractive to people because it is only one dose, but health officials are worried about a potentially dangerous side effect. The official statement from the CDC lists a rare, but dangerous blood clotting issue as the primary reason for the pause. The blood clotting has been extremely rare, but it is significant enough to have both health organizations call for a pause until more research can be done.

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So just how rare is rare?

So far there have been just under 7 Million J&J vaccines administered in America. There have been six reported cases of the blood clotting, and all six have occurred with women between the ages of 18 and 48. Both the CDC and FDA are acting out of an abundance of caution.

Right now, these adverse events appear to be extremely rare. COVID-19 vaccine safety is a top priority for the federal government, and we take all reports of health problems following COVID-19 vaccination very seriously. 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.

The CDC has always had a tool to help people report adverse side effects of any of the vaccines. If you have experienced any abnormal side effects, you can report them to the CDC online here.

This is going to deal quite a blow to the vaccine movement. There is already a very vocal segment of the population that is worried about the safety of the vaccine. They will most likely use this as a tool to support their argument. Really though, the recommendation from the CDC is doing the exact opposite. It shows that the CDC and FDA are both ultra focused on delivering a safe product to the general public.

I was scheduled to get the J&J shot this week, but now I am caught wondering if it will be available. If it is available, I will have to decided if I should get it based on the risk.