UC Davis Health pauses Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to extremely rare side effect

Impact on vaccination pace will be minimal

(SACRAMENTO)

UC Davis Health has suspended all use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this morning. The CDC recommended the pause out of “an abundance of caution” after a small number of reports of a rare and severe type of blood clot in patients who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Of the more than 6.8 million doses of the vaccine that have been administered, six cases have been reported. The CDC calls it an “extremely rare” side effect.

The pause in Johnson & Johnson vaccine administration will have little impact on the pace of vaccinations at UC Davis Health
The pause in Johnson & Johnson vaccine administration will have little impact on the pace of vaccinations at UC Davis Health

This change will have a minimal impact on the pace of vaccinations at UC Davis Health, as our supply of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was limited. In fact, fewer than 900 of the 55,000 first vaccine doses we’ve administered were Johnson & Johnson.

We will continue to be able to vaccinate thousands of people against COVID-19 each day. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are safe, and people should continue to show up for vaccine appointments with confidence. The risks of COVID-19 are still greater than not being vaccinated at all.

If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the past three weeks, please talk to your physician if you’ve experienced:

  • Severe headaches
  • Leg pain
  • Shortness of breath
  • Adnominal pain

More information can be found here.