• By Todd Luck
• Posted Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Local providers pause Johnson & Johnson vaccine use

The Forsyth County Department of Public Health, Novant Health and Wake Forest Baptist Health are all pausing the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine following guidance from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. All three organizations will continue to administer the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for their current appointments. Anyone scheduled to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be offered Pfizer or Moderna, or rescheduled, depending on availability and patient preference.

The CDC and FDA are recommending a pause in the use of the vaccine out of an abundance of caution as it reviews six cases in the United States where recipients developed a rare disorder involving blood clots within two weeks of receiving the vaccine. More than 6.8 million people in the United States have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

We note that the adverse and concerning reactions appear to be remarkably rare relative to the number of Johnson & Johnson doses that have been administered, and we look forward to updated guidance from the CDC and FDA related to the safety and use for the Johnson & Johnson vaccination.

Common temporary reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines include a sore arm, fever, headache or feeling tired and achy for a day or two. Those who’ve received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should immediately contact their health care provider.