COMMUNITY HEALTH NORTHWEST FLORIDA TO SUSPEND JOHNSON & JOHNSON (JANSSEN) VACCINE CLINCS PER CDC AND FDA GUIDANCE
In keeping with recommendations from the CDC and FDA to pause Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine administration, Community Health Northwest Florida is suspending the use of the COVID-19 Johnson and Johnson vaccine, pending further FDA and CDC guidance. This is a recommendation coming from the CDC and FDA and not a mandate.
The CDC and FDA put out a notice that they are reviewing data involving six cases of rare blood clot events in individuals receiving the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine. This is an extremely rare complication with 6 reported cases in 6.8 million doses.
This pause is primarily to educate health care providers on what to look for in patients who present with severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within two weeks after vaccination. People who have received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within two weeks after vaccination should immediately contact their healthcare provider.
According to the CDC, normal treatments for blood clots are not indicated for these side effects, therefore education of healthcare providers is critical. The CDC and FDA stress that this pause is for education of the medical community and to revise information on vaccine fact sheets.
Community Health is still offering the Moderna vaccine first and second doses to those who wish to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccination is still an important tool in stopping the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
Community Health will cancel the Wednesday, April 14th Johnson & Johnson vaccine event in Milton. The Friday, April 16th Johnson & Johnson Brownsville Community Center event will be switched to the first dose Moderna vaccine. All scheduled patients impacted by these changes will be notified.
Additional information on Community Health Northwest Florida COVID-19 vaccine clinics is available by calling the Community Health COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center at 850-439-3358.
