J&J Vaccine Update, Cases, Hospitalizations: COVID-19 In RivCo

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — COVID-positive hospitalizations in Riverside County dropped Friday, reversing a brief day-to-day uptrend, though six additional virus-related deaths were confirmed, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine pause continues.

According to the Riverside University Health System, 90 people are hospitalized with coronavirus countywide, seven less than Thursday, and that number includes 21 intensive care unit patients diagnosed with the virus, one less than a day ago.

On Thursday, the number of hospitalizations had increased slightly.

RUHS officials said the total number of COVID cases recorded since the public health documentation period began in March 2020 is 297,215, up 137 from Thursday. Of that total, 290,530 cases are considered recovered.

RUHS figures show a total 4,525 deaths from virus-related complications have been recorded in the last year. That compares to 4,519 on Thursday.

More than 1.3 million vaccine doses have been administered countywide since December, according to RUHS figures. The number of eligible county residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday was reported at 23.7 percent.

Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which require two doses several weeks apart, are currently available countywide. Use of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine was suspended Tuesday following reports of six women across the country developing potentially dangerous blood clots within two weeks of being vaccinated. One of the women died.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices convened to consider reports of the extremely rare disorder following J&J vaccination.

After the meeting, J&J issued a statement: "Out of an abundance of caution, the CDC and FDA have recommended a pause in the use of our vaccine. The Company has made the decision to proactively delay the rollout of our vaccine in Europe and pause vaccinations in all Janssen COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials while we update guidance for investigators and participants," the company said.

"The health authorities advise that people who have received our COVID-19 vaccine and develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider," the company statement continued.

Nearly 7 million people nationwide have received the J&J vaccine. In Riverside County, 19,424 doses of the vaccine had been administered with no adverse reactions, officials reported Tuesday morning.

The portal to make an appointment for vaccinations at county-run and other sites can be accessed via www.rivcoph.org/COVID-19-Vaccine. Anyone who needs assistance may also call the county's 211 helpline.

—City News Service contributed to this report.