APS cancels Johnson & Johnson vaccination event for employees

District is following recommendation of federal agencies.

Atlanta Public Schools canceled an employee vaccination event in which it planned to offer the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

At Monday’s school board meeting, district officials touted the planned April 21 vaccine event as one more opportunity for employees to get vaccinated. But Tuesday, district officials told The Atlanta Journal-constitution they were canceling the event after the U.S.

Food & Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended use of the vaccine to be paused. The government agencies made the recommendation after several vaccinated people suffered blood clots.

In a statement to The Atlanta Journal-constitution, the Atlanta district said its decision was made “in accordance with the decision to pause Johnson & Johnson vaccinations issued by the Georgia Department of Public Health under the guidance of the FDA and the CDC.”

The April event, which the Atlanta district planned in coordination with Walgreens, was intended to provide a one-shot alternative for employees.

APS partnered with the Fulton County Board of Health to provide the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine to 1,900 employees in March. Employees will return to the Mercedes-benz Stadium this week for their second dose.

The district sent a survey to employees April 2 to ascertain how many workers were vaccinated, including those who made their own appointments at independent-of-district events. As of Monday, about 2,500 employees of the district’s more than 6,000 workers had responded that they are vaccinated. The survey is ongoing.