The federal Committee on Immunization Practices said Wednesday the interruption in the use of Johnson & Johnson’s Coronavirus vaccine will last at least a week. Dr. Anthony Fauci, president Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser, said Tuesday that the interruption was “more like days to weeks, rather than weeks to months.”
The extended break is intended to give scientists time to gather more data before deciding whether to resume using the J&J doses to combat Covid-19. Federal officials recommended the outbreak because a rare and serious type of blood clot was identified among six of the 7.5 million people who received the shot.
“We do not yet know enough to say whether the vaccine is related to or caused this health problem,” a CDC statement said this week, but the cases are similar to some seen in Europe after vaccination with the AstraZeneca. -vaccine’
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This could be significant, according to the CDC, “The AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines both use an adenovirus vector” to deliver instructions in the form of genetic material to a cell. “These vaccines differ from the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are based on mRNA,” the agency said in a statement. “These types of reactions – blood clots in combination with low platelets – are not seen with the authorized vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.”
White House officials were even more specific about the six issues in a press conference on Wednesday.
Some important details:
-All six individuals with these blood clots were women between the ages of 18 and 48, and their symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after being vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
-The types of observed blood clots, called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, occurred in combination with low levels of platelets – or a condition known as thrombocytopenia.
-The reports of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and thrombocytopenia are similar to reports of thrombotic events with thrombocytopenia seen in Europe after vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Although all American cases have occurred in women, men and women in European cases have developed blood clots, although they are more common in women.
-Two individuals with these blood clots in the US also have clots in their abdominal cavity or the veins of their digestive tract.
-All six individuals with the blood clots were between the ages of 18 and 48 years.
-Symptoms of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis or other concomitant severe blood clot may include severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath.
Officials at the WH press conference on Wednesday sought to reassure Americans that “there is a lot of inventory in the system of Moderna and Pfizer, including replacing Y & J appointments with Pfizer and Moderna vaccine.” They noted that President Biden ordered 100 million additional doses of each Pfizer and Moderna in February, bringing the country to 600 million doses of just two vaccines in July. Since these are two shots, 600 million doses are enough for 300 million Americans, the vast majority of the country’s population.