FL FEMA Vaccination Sites Resume Johnson & Johnson Vaccines

FLORIDA — Florida residents have a green light to get the single-dose Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine following a safety review by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Both agencies have lifted the two-week suspension of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and all four Federal Emergency Management Agency clinics in Florida have resumed administering the vaccine.

Heeding the recommendation of the CDC and FDA, Florida stopped giving the Janssen Johnson & Johnson vaccine April 13 after it was linked to the formation of unusual blood clots in women.

According to the CDC, six women between 18 and 48 years old experienced blood clots and low platelet counts six to 13 days after receiving the vaccine. One woman died and a second is in critical condition.

Over the past two weeks, medical and scientific teams at the FDA and CDC have examined data and conducted extensive outreach to providers and clinicians to assess the threat of blood clots and low platelets, also known as thrombosis-thrombocytopenia syndrome, caused by the vaccine.

The two agencies have now concluded that use of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine should be resumed in the United States.

Both agencies said they are confidence that the vaccine is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19 and that the vaccine’s benefits outweigh its risks.

As a precaution, the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine fact sheets for health care providers and patients have been revised to include information about the risk of thrombosis-thrombocytopenia syndrome, which has occurred in a very small number of people who received the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. According to the CDC, more than 6.8 million people have received the vaccine.

“Safety is our top priority. This pause was an example of our extensive safety monitoring working as they were designed to work—identifying even these small number of cases," said Janet Woodcock, acting FDA commissioner. "We have concluded that the known and potential benefits of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine outweigh its known and potential risks in individuals 18 years of age and older, and we are confident that this vaccine continues to meet our standards for safety, effectiveness and quality."

“Our vaccine safety systems are working," said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky. "We identified exceptionally rare events – out of millions of doses of the Janssen COVID-19 administered – and we paused to examine them more carefully. As we always do, we will continue to watch all signals closely as more Americans are vaccinated. I continue to be encouraged by the growing body of real-world evidence that the authorized COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and they protect people from disease, hospitalization and death."

With the all-clear from the federal agencies, the Florida Division of Emergency Management announced that the four Florida sites operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency have resumed administering the one-dose vaccine.

Each site will be administering 3,000 doses per day.

The FEMA sites are located at:

• Gateway Mall, 5200 Norwood Ave. Jacksonville
• Tampa Greyhound Track, 755 E. Waters Ave. Tampa
• Miami Dade Community College – North Campus, 11380 NW 27th Ave., Miami
• Valencia College – West Campus, 1800 S. Kirkman Road, Orlando

They are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

Additionally, state- and county-run sites along with pharmacies will administer the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine when it's available.

Click here for a list of vaccination sites.

Florida Coronavirus Update

As of Monday, the Florida Department of Health reported that 8,562,544 people in Florida have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, with 5.7 million people completing their full immunization series.

The DOH also received 3,631 more positive coronavirus test results Monday, bringing the total number to 2,212,097 statewide since the pandemic was declared.

The state reported another 66 deaths from the coronavirus on Monday, for a total of 34,912 deaths.

The state's current positivity rate is 7.28 percent.

See related stories:

• Feds Pause Johnson & Johnson COVID Vaccine In FL, Across US
• Publix Suspends Administration Of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine