Coronavirus Vaccine Clinic Canceled In Hamden

HAMDEN, CT — In light of the recommendation of health officials to pause the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, Hamden is canceling Tuesday’s vaccine clinic at the Keefe Community Center, Mayor Curt Balzano Leng announced.

The clinic had been scheduled for 12 noon to 6 p.m. at the Keefe Community Center.

Leng said more information will be forthcoming about plans for the rest of the week.

The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday because of blood-clot concerns.

"We are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution," the FDA announced on Twitter.

The FDA reported that, as of Monday, more than 6.8 million doses of the company's vaccine have been administered in the U.S. The CDC and FDA are reviewing data involving six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the vaccine.

In a statement Tuesday morning, the Connecticut Department of Public Health wrote, “The Griffin vaccine vans, which currently administer J&J vaccine, have suspended their clinics for today. More information on the FEMA mobile unit and the Griffin vans will be forthcoming.”

"Roughly 100,000 Connecticut residents have received the J&J vaccine with no reported serious adverse events," Connecticut Department of Public Health spokesperson Maura Fitzgerald said in a statement Tuesday. "The CDC, FDA and Connecticut DPH all take vaccine safety extremely seriously. Although the reported complications are extremely rare, we will await the results of the investigation before proceeding with further use of the J&J vaccine."

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