Lane County health officials announced Tuesday they will cease administering any Johnson & Johnson vaccines to residents until further notice from the Oregon Health Authority.
The order comes as federal health agencies review cases of a rare and serious type of blood clot developing in people after receiving the single dose vaccine. It is advised anyone experiencing severe headache, body pain or shortness of breath- within 3 weeks of getting the shot- should contact their health provider.
Only about 4,000 Lane County residents have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Due to a manufacturing snafu last month, Oregon did not receive millions of J & J doses as expected.
Public Health spokesperson Jason Davis said they are sending out health alerts. And keeping the risk in context.
“So, we have 6 instances out of millions of people vaccinated,” he said. “It’s literally a one-in-a-million chance that you would develop these symptoms.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 6.8 million Americans have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and there are six (6) reported cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia) being reviewed as averse events following up to 13 days after receiving the J & J vaccine.
Davis said this is not a recall of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. “It’s a pause” as the CDC and the Federal Drug Administration investigate and advise vaccine and health care providers how to proceed.