Harford County Pauses Use Of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — After federal authorities paused the use of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday and state health officials followed suit, Harford County officials said they, too, will stop administering the one-dose shot while it is under review.

The Harford County Health Department issued a statement indicating it will follow the Maryland Department of Health's guidelines regarding the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

"Based on the federal government's recommendation and out of an abundance of caution, the Maryland Department of Health directs all Maryland COVID-19 vaccine providers to pause the administration of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines until further federal guidance is issued," the Maryland Department of Health said in a statement Tuesday morning. "Providers should continue to maintain their supplies of Johnson & Johnson vaccines in a manner that prevents wastage."

The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier in the day announced a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

"We are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution," Dr. Peter Marks of the FDA and Dr. Anne Schuchat of the CDC said in a joint statement about the decision to stop using the J&J vaccine.

During the pause, federal officials will review data involving six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the vaccine.

All six cases of the rare blood clot occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms came 6 to 13 days after vaccination, according to the statement.

Those who received the J&J shot in the last couple of weeks should contact their health care providers if they experience symptoms beyond the flu-like feeling many vaccine recipients report; severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath are things to watch out for, Schuchat said at a news briefing Tuesday on the decision to stop using the J&J vaccine pending further investigation into the rare blood clots.

For those who got the vaccine more than a month ago, Schuchat reported the risk was "very low."

As of Monday, more than 6.8 million doses of the single-dose vaccine have been administered in the United States, according to the FDA.

In Harford County, authorities reported Tuesday that 8,420 people have received the J&J vaccine.

As far as the two-dose shots, made by Pfizer and Moderna, officials say 85,000 people in Harford County have gotten a first dose and 53,648 have received the second shot.

More than 24 percent of the population in Harford County is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, based on state health data released April 13.

Health care providers are asked to report adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

During a news conference Tuesday morning, officials stressed the pause was a "recommendation" for vaccine providers, not a mandate.

"These events appear to be extremely rare, but COVID-19 vaccine safety is a top priority and we take all reports seriously," Dr. Janet Woodcock, acting FDA commissioner, said at the conference. "We are committed to vaccinations and feel they are a really important tool to getting this pandemic under control. But we're also committed to patient safety and feel we're taking the best route to ensure that."

See Also:

• All MD Residents 16 And Up Can Get COVID-19 Vaccine
• Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Pause: 6 Things To Know
• Feds Pause Johnson & Johnson COVID Vaccine In MD, Across US