The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended a pause in use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday to investigate reports of rare blood clots, and local and state officials are reacting to the announcement.
According to a press release from the Georgia Department of Public Health, the FDA and CDC are reviewing data involving six reported cases of a severe blood clot occurring in women aged 18 to 48 about a week after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
None of the six cases are in individuals vaccinated in Georgia, and this is unrelated to reactions reported last week at the Cumming Fairgrounds vaccination site, according to the release.
As of Tuesday afternoon, over 6,850,000 people have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the United States, according to the CDC. More than 124,000 doses have been administered in Georgia, according to the release from the state Department of Public Health.
Dr. Surpriya Mannepalli, infectious diseases medical director with Northeast Georgia Health System, said while NGHS is pausing J&J vaccine distribution, she still recommends receiving a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine if you are able.
Locally, both the Northeast Georgia Health System and Longstreet Clinic have administered the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in small quantities.
Bobby Norris, vice president of operations for Northeast Georgia Physicians Group said NGHS administered 27 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at the NGPG location in Wauka Mountain last week.
Longstreet Clinic has administered five doses of the Johnson & Johnson shot, all of which went to internal personnel. Longstreet Clinic received 500 J&J doses about two weeks ago, but Longstreet will only administer the Modern or Pfizer vaccine until they receive further guidance on the J&J shot.
Longstreet Clinic said of the five doses they administered, no reactions were reported or observed. Likewise, Norris said no adverse side effects were reported or observed after the J&J shot was administered at NGHS.
This comes after the Hall County School District and the Gainesville City School System both held vaccination clinics for their respective employees last month. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was administered at both clinics unless the employee specifically requested the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
“We were fortunate to only have mild reactions to the vaccine provided more than a month ago, Jeremey Williams, superintendent of Gainesville City Schools said in an email statement.
The release from the Department of Public Health urges anyone who develops a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination to contact their health care provider.
