U.S. and South Africa Halt Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Use Amid Rare Blood Clot Reports
Johnson & Johnson
Healthcare Product Manufacturers, Health Service Providers
Janssen Pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceutical R&D Developer
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is an agency under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with its headquarters located in Atlanta, Georgia. As a federal government administrative agency, the CDC provides reliable information to protect public health and safety. Through strong partnerships with national health departments and other organizations, it aims to enhance health-related decision-making and promote the well-being of citizens.
FDA
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a joint statement on the 13th, recommending a pause in the administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, given that six cases of rare but severe blood clots following vaccination have been reported in the United States.
The statement said that relevant authorities would evaluate and investigate the six cases of blood clots following vaccination with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and recommended suspending the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine pending the results of the investigation and evaluation.
The statement said that all six cases were women aged 18 to 48 who developed cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) accompanied by thrombocytopenia 6 to 13 days after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This side effect is "extremely rare" and its treatment differs from that of common blood clots.
According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of the 12th, more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had been administered in the United States.
Anthony Fauci, Director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, stated at a White House press conference on the 13th that the pause in Johnson & Johnson vaccine administration was a precautionary measure to allow relevant agencies to further investigate the clinical status of patients experiencing adverse reactions and the mechanisms underlying these side effects. He noted that the probability of such side effects is extremely low, so individuals who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine need not be anxious; however, they should monitor for symptoms such as severe headache, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, or leg pain within three weeks post-vaccination and seek prompt medical attention if severe side effects occur.
White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients stated that the pause on Johnson & Johnson vaccinations would not have a “significant impact” on the U.S. vaccination rollout. The United States currently has sufficient doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to meet vaccination demand.
South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize stated on the 13th that, in light of the United States’ recommendation for the public to pause vaccination with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, South Africa would suspend the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine “until the causal relationship between thrombosis and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been fully investigated.” He noted that nearly 300,000 healthcare workers in South Africa had received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but no cases of thrombosis had been reported to date.
The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, was authorized for emergency use in the United States by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on February 27 this year. It is a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine.
