Lake County Pauses Use Of J&J Coronavirus Vaccine

LAKE COUNTY, IL — Lake County's health department on Tuesday announced it was halting its distribution of Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccines after state and federal health officials called for a pause on the use of the shot.

Officials halted distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after the FDA identified six cases of a rare but severe side effect of the vaccine: a potentially deadly blood clot in women between ages 18 and 48.

The FDA said a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia) in a handful of individuals after receiving the J&J vaccine.

A county spokesperson told Patch via email that the health department on Tuesday did not cancel any standing vaccine appointments, instead shifting gears to provide Moderna and Pfizer vaccines in lieu of J&J shots.

"This was done out of an abundance of caution due to six cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the United States, out of over 6.8 million doses given," the county's health department wrote in a social media post. "There are no known cases in our county. These events appear to be extremely rare, and COVID-19 vaccine safety continues to be a top priority."

Related: J&J Vaccines Halted In Illinois: Department Of Public Health

Residents who have developed a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks of receiving a Johnson & Johnson vaccine are urged to contact their doctor.

Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock told reporters during a video news conference that blood clots were "extremely rare" and she expects the pause to last only "a matter of days."

The FDA reported that, as of Monday, more than 6.8 million doses of New Jersey-based company's vaccine had been administered in the United States. 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.

According to the Illinois Department of public health, Moderna and Pfizer make up the vast majority of doses administered in Illinois. Next week, the state was expected to receive 5,800 doses of the J&J vaccine out of 483,720 expected total doses.

Patch editor Eileen O'Gorman contributed to this report