J&J COVID vaccine: I got it, should I worry about it?
What we know about rare health problems in vaccine recipients
The suspension of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine raises a host of questions for recipients of the shot, which is popular for its ease of storage and convenient one-time injection.
On Tuesday, top officials with the U.S. Food and Drug Admin
istration and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention held a press briefing to offer answers. Here’s a summary of what they said:
Q
Why is the vaccine suspended? Should I worry?
A
The federal government received reports of six cases of a rare health problem — severe stroke-like blood clots, accompanied by low platelet counts — among the 6.8 million people who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. One person is dead. Another is in critical condition.
Out of an abundance of caution, the federal government recommended a pause in the use of the vaccine until experts learn more about these cases, alert local health care officers and print updated information for vaccine recipients. Federal officials also sought to alert the medical community, so doctors know how to assess and report any unusual health problems in vaccinated patients.
— Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research
— Dr. Janet Woodcock, Acting FDA Commissioner
Q
What are the health problems?
ADoctors reported a combination of two blood-related problems: Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis and Thrombocytopenia. Of course, these problems can occur independently, without a vaccine. But what is notable is that they happened together, creating a unique and worrisome pattern.
— Dr. Peter Marks
Q ACerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis (CVST) is a rare type of stroke. It occurs when a blood clot forms in the brain’s venous sinuses. This prevents blood from draining out of the brain. As a result, blood cells may break and leak blood into the brain tissues, forming a hemorrhage.
Thrombocytopenia occurs when the body’s blood platelet count is low. (Platelets, a type of blood cell, are also called thrombocytes.) Platelets are important because they clump together to help stop bleeding at the site of a wound. People with severe thrombocytopenia are at risk of internal bleeding or significant blood loss if injured.
— Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Q A
Why are they dangerous?
Who was affected?
So far, the six cases involved women age 18 to 48 years.
— Dr. Peter Marks
Q ACan it be treated?
Yes. But treatment for this specific type of blood clot is very different from treatments for other types of blood clots. That’s why it is important to alert doctors.
Traditionally, blood clots are treated with an anticoagulant called Heparin. Heparin is dangerous, even fatal, for people with CVST — so alternative treatments, such as intravenous immunoglobulin and supportive care, must be given.
— Dr. Peter Marks
Q
What are the symptoms and when do they appear?
A
If you received the vaccine and develop a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath, you should contact your health care provider.
So far, the symptoms have appeared from six to 13 days after the shot.
They are different from the symptoms that many people experience soon after vaccination, such as fever and mild flu-like aches and pains. Typical side effects like these occur just one or two days later.
— Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Q
Are similar problems linked to the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines?
A
No. Of the 180 million doses of these mRNA vaccines administered, there have been no reports of cerebral vein sinus thrombosis, combined with thrombocytopenia.
But the problem is very similar to what was reported by several European nations after use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine.
The J&J and Astra Zeneca vaccines use a different delivery system than the mRNA vaccines. Both enlist a modified and harmless virus, called an adenovirus, as a delivery vehicle for the genetic instructions that teach the body to launch a defense. Perhaps the problems are linked to this delivery system.
— Dr. Peter Marks.