After a few cases of rare blood clots found in the nearly 7 million people who’ve received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for COVID-19, Indiana is pausing its use of that vaccine but will continue offering shots from other manufacturers.
Indiana Department of Health alerted Wayne County Health Department not to use any J&J COVID-19 vaccines until further notice.
The pause follows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration calling for additional review of the J&J vaccine’s safety.
However, WCHD will be able to continue offering vaccines from another company.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and FDA currently are reviewing data involving six reported U.S cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the J&J vaccine.
As of April 12, more than 6.8 million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been administered in the United States.
All six cases involved women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred six to 13 days after vaccination.
One New York -based allergist and immunologist has been quoted today on CNBC as saying that the risk of blood clots from getting ill from COVID is more serious than the potential of a vaccine causing them.
Dr. Purvi Parikh, a clinical assistant professor at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, said people are more likely to clot from getting sick with the Covid-19 virus.
She said the risk of clots is 1 in 20 for those hospitalized and 1 in 100 for those recovering at home, according to data from Thrombosis Canada.
Anyone who has received the J&J vaccine who develops a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks of the vaccination should contact their health care provider.
It is not immediately known how long the pause will be in the use of the J&J vaccine.
Anyone with an appointment scheduled for the Wayne County Health Department vaccination center will receive the Moderna vaccine.
Wayne County Health Department will continue to offer Moderna vaccine clinics from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Appointments are encouraged by visiting ourshot.in.gov, but walk-ins will be taken each clinic day until 3:30 p.m.
To make an appointment, visit ourshot.in.gov, call WCHD at (765) 973-9245, the state helpline at 211, or employees of Morrisson-Reeves Library who are trained to help at (765) 966-8291.
Reid Health’s clinic at Wayne County Fairgrounds offers the Pfizer vaccine. Those seeking an appointment also can visit ourshot.in.gov, or call (765) 935-8484 during its operating hours, which are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Reid does not offer walk-in hours.