Feds urge pause in use of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine over blood clot concerns

WASHINGTON — Federal health officials said early Tuesday they were urging a pause in the use of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine after reports of six serious blood clots, and officials in Los Angeles and around the country quickly complied.

The joint announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration is a blow to the U.S. vaccination campaign, which has counted on public faith in the rapidly developed inoculations and growing supplies from multiple manufacturers to protect Americans from the coronavirus and bring an end to the pandemic.

Officials said the pause may last only a few days, depending on what they learn in their review of medical data, and that it’s possible they will adjust their guidance on the best candidates to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine — for example, by age group. The CDC has scheduled an emergency meeting for Wednesday, and officials promised to move quickly.

“Out of an abundance in caution, we’re recommending a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine,” said Janet Woodcock, the acting FDA commissioner, during a briefing. “We’re recommending this pause while we work together to fully understand these events and also so we can get information out to healthcare providers and vaccine recipients.”

She emphasized that reports of serious blood clots are “extremely rare,” but

“COVID-19 vaccine safety is a top priority for the federal government, and we take all reports of adverse events after vaccination very seriously.”

The fallout rippled across the country as state and local governments scrambled to respond to the announcement. Besides Los Angeles, health officials in New York, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., said they would pause administering Johnson & Johnson shots.