J&J Vaccination Resumes In Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The Johnson and Johnson vaccine will be available again at Riverside County-run vaccination clinics after local health officials on Monday lifted the pause on the drug.

The move follows recommendations by state and federal officials who had temporarily stopped use of the J&J vaccine after rare severe reactions were reported.

The vaccine will be available starting Thursday at the clinic at Alessandro High School in Hemet. Its use will expand to other fixed locations and mobile vaccine teams next week, county health officials announced.

“Bringing back the Johnson and Johnson vaccine will provide us with another tool to help vaccinate as many Riverside County residents as possible,” said Dr. Geoffrey Leung, public health officer for Riverside County. “We are confident the vaccine is safe and effective.”

Board of Supervisors Chair Karen Spiegel, who received the J&J vaccine, noted the single-dose vaccine helps protect more Riverside County residents from COVID-19.

“The single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine makes it more convenient for residents and helps our county teams vaccinate more people faster without the need for a second dose weeks later,” said Chair Spiegel, Second District Supervisor. “Safety is a priority in all vaccine[s].”

Riverside County has approximately 17,000 doses of the J&J vaccine on hand and it has been administered more than 17,000 times in the county without a severe reaction, county officials said.

On Monday, the county released a J&J fact sheet that provides further information about risks, benefits and side effects associated with the vaccine.

Overall, more than 1.5 million doses have been administered of the J&J, Moderna and Pfizer vaccines in Riverside County among the county-run clinics, and those operated by community partners and other providers.

To make an appointment, click www.rivcoph.org/covid-19-vaccine or call 2-1-1 for those needing assistance.

Riverside County coronavirus update

The number of COVID-positive hospitalizations in Riverside County barely budged over the weekend, and the number of deaths reported remained flat.

The Riverside University Health System said Monday 77 people were hospitalized with coronavirus, two fewer than Friday. Current hospitalizations include 17 intensive care unit patients diagnosed with the virus, five fewer than Friday.

The agency does not release updated COVID-19 statistics on the weekend.

RUHS said the total number of COVID cases recorded since the public health documentation period began in March 2020 was 298,001 Monday, up 120 from Friday.

RUHS reported Monday that a total of 4,559 COVID-19 deaths have been recorded in the past 13 months. The number was the same on Friday.