RILEY COUNTY, KS —In accordance with guidance from the CDC and FDA, Riley County will pause the administration of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine until further notice.
The federal agencies say they are reviewing six cases nationwide of a rare type of blood clot in people who have received the J & J vaccine. Nearly 7 million doses have been administered across the country.
“In these cases, a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia). All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination,” explained the FDA and CDC in a press release.
To date, through Riley County’s program to vaccinate those who are homebound, a partnership with RADxUP, and a reallocation of vaccines to Lafene Health Center at Kansas State University, Dunne’s and Barry’s in which those organizations administered the doses, 1,571 individuals have received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine via the Health Department.
Riley County Health Department: 41 doses
RADxUP: 235 doses
Lafene Health Center: 1,095 doses
Dunne’s: 100
Barry’s: 100
“To the best of our knowledge, no one who received a J & J vaccine from Riley County Health Department has had any issues with blood clots or other serious side effects. We will continue to monitor the situation and follow the guidance as issued by KDHE and the federal government,” explained Julie Gibbs, the Riley County Health Department Director.
Riley County currently does not have any clinics scheduled in which the J & J vaccine will be administered. Most of the vaccines that it has been issued are Moderna, which has not had any reports of a similar side effect.
“Please keep in mind that these findings are new and more research needs to be completed before concluding that all 6 cases are side effects from the Johnson and Johnson vaccine,” said Gibbs.
The FDA advises that those who received the J & J vaccine contact their health care provider if they develop: severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider.
Health care providers are asked to report adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System at https://vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html”
“The pause is important, in part, to ensure that the health care provider community is aware of the potential for these adverse events and can plan for proper recognition and management due to the unique treatment required with this type of blood clot,” added the CDC and FDA.