Health & Fitness
Pfizer First Doses Resume At Florida's Federal Vaccine Sites
Federally-supported vaccine sites in Florida will soon administer Pfizer first-doses.
FLORIDA — Pfizer first-dose COVID-19 vaccines will resume in the state Tuesday at federally-supported sites, according to the Florida Department of Health. FEMA sites were administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but it has switched to administering Pfizer while J&J is on pause as recommended by the Centers for Disease and Control.
The J&J vaccine was put on pause, out of caution, because of blood clot concerns reported April 9. Studies show Pfizer has not caused blood clots, as were reported in seven people among more than 7 million who received Johnson & Johnson's one-shot COVID-19 vaccination.
Dr. Eun-Ju Lee, an assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College, told CNN that her Pfizer and Moderna vaccine study didn't find any of the side effects that are happening with the Johnson & Johnson shot.
Find out what's happening in St. Petefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Johnson & Johnson had attempted to turn the tables on Pfizer and Moderna when news broke that its vaccine had been linked to blood clots. In a statement, J&J cited a study that that found reports of blood clots associated with"all COVID-19 vaccines," the outlet reported.
The study by Lee and her colleagues looked at U.S. Food and Drug Administration data of tens of millions of people who had received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, and found a small number who developed low platelet levels, CNN reported. The study did not look for or analyze blood clots.
Find out what's happening in St. Petefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Florida residents 16 and older will once again be able to get their first Pfizer shots at the federally-supported locations, according to the Florida Department of Health. For a list of federal vaccination sites, click here. Moderna and Pfizer vaccines continue to be offered at state-supported sites, according to Florida Division of Emergency Management.
To find more vaccine locations offering Pfizer first-doses and Moderna, click here.
The Florida Department of Health reported Monday the total number of coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic in 2020 is up to 2,173,138; 88,274 hospitalizations; and 35,142 coronavirus—related deaths.
Related Patch Stories:
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.