Detroit Issues Pause On Johnson & Johnson Vaccine: What To Know

DETROIT — The city of Detroit's health department has put a halt to administering the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, but those scheduled to receive the vaccine can still stay in line to receive a different dose, officials said Tuesday.

The Detroit Health Department — which was planning community vaccination events on Tuesday and throughout the week using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine — announced it was following recommendations from the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because of blood-clot concerns.

But the health department intends to honor appointments for people scheduled to get the J&J vaccine by replacing what would have been the single-shot J&J vaccine with the first dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine.

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"If you were scheduled for a J&J shot and want to keep your same appointment, you will be given the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine," Detroit Chief Health Officer Denise Fair said in a statement. "You will receive an appointment for your second dose 3-4 weeks later. Appointments at the TCF center and Saturday community centers are unaffected by this announcement. They have always been Pfizer/Moderna."

The U.S. recommended a pause in using the J&J vaccine on Tuesday. The CDC and FDA said they were investigating unusual clots that occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. The clots occurred in veins that drain blood from the brain and occurred together with low platelets, according to The Associated Press. All six cases were in women between the ages of 18 and 48; there was one death and all remained under investigation, officials said.

More than 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been given in the U.S.

Michigan is among states following federal recommendations. According to state data, 328,700 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been distributed across Michigan as of Monday. A little more than 199,000 of those doses had been administered, according to state data.

The state was expecting 17,500 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to be distributed this week, according to the CDC.