After over seven million people in the U.S received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine Federal health officials placed a pause on its distribution after studies conducted showing a rare blood clot disorder that developed in six out of 7 million American women within one to two weeks of their vaccinations.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, three vaccines known as Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson were placed in order to be distributed to as many people as possible. Clinical terms around the world have declared the COVID vaccines as safe and successful, with Johnson & Johnson being the most hassle-free & effective with over 7 million people already receiving their dosage. Although the majority of the effects of the vaccine were promising, the first public sign of concern about the Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine came on April 9, when the European Medicines Agency announced that it was investigating reports of four cases of blood clots in people who received the vaccine in the United States. One case occurred in the clinical trial that took place before the vaccine was authorized. Three occurred in the vaccine rollout, with one case resulting in death. The regulators said the cluster of cases required investigation, but that it was not clear whether the vaccine was to blame.
After investigation health officials concluded that a key ingredient in Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine could explain the possible link between the shots and the extremely rare blood clots reported in six patients in the U.S. The technology used in the drug maker’s vaccine called an adenovirus, which is used to prompt an immune response against the coronavirus. But some experts say that it could instead (in rare cases) prompt an immune response against certain components in the blood that cause clotting.
After hearing about the rare side effects of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine the impact was almost immediate. By Tuesday evening of this week, every state had already announced a pause in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine injections. The same went for federally run vaccination sites such as CVS and Walgreens that also paused the J&J injections. Many people around the country are arguing that the 6 people negatively affected out of the millions who have already received the vaccine should not be a factor that would stop the scheduled injections of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. However, Rachael Piltch-Loeb, an expert in health risk communication at the N.Y.U. the school of Global Public Health made a claim saying “It’s incredibly challenging, but to ignore it would have been worse, If the public suspected that the government was concealing serious potential side effects, far more people might decide against vaccination.”
Because health officials are still investigating the clotting issue, and determining guidance about the vaccine, there isn’t much trustworthy information the government or credible outlets can provide to fill that void. Many people around the world are spreading facts against the pause of the J&J vaccine on social media with posts including information about other factors that greatly contribute to the risk of blood clots such as birth control pills and smoking. As of now, there are mixed reviews on the percentage of people who trust the vaccine and who think that the vaccine should undergo further testing to ensure it is safe for public use. As this article is being written federal health officials are working hard to test the J&J vaccine further and ensure the safety of all American citizens.