No Need To Double Down On Vaccines Amid J&J Pause: Camden County

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Many appointments to get the COVID-19 vaccine in New Jersey were modified after federal officials recommended a “pause” on the administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine last week.

For instance, Camden County said no appointments would be canceled at its Gloucester Township and Camden clinics since the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be offered to anyone who had an appointment to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

But what about the 235,000 New Jersey residents who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine before the pause? Should they make an appointment to get either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, and basically double-down on their protection?

“I would not recommend pursuing a separate vaccination after being vaccinated,” Dr. Mark Condoluci, an infectious disease physician at Jefferson Health said in response to that very question during a news conference Wednesday. “I don’t think it compounds that way.”

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

Condoluci joined Camden County Commissioner Jeff Nash and Camden County Assistant Public Health Coordinator Caryelle Lasher during the news conference at the county’s vaccination center at Camden County College. Due to a technical error, the news conference didn’t stream live, but a recording has been posted on the county’s website. The question was submitted beforehand.

“As it stands right now, if you’ve received the Johnson & Johnson vaccination, that should be sufficient,” Condoluci said. “You should be protected. If there’s any worry of potential side effects from Johnson & Johnson, if you are about three weeks or more out, you shouldn’t have that worry. If you’re within that three-week period, and if you have symptoms, you want to reach out to your provider.”

In the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia). Symptoms include severe headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain and shortness of breath. Read More: NJ Pause Johnson & Johnson COVID Vaccine

Despite the pause, Nash said there are still thousands of appointments to get vaccinated still available at the county site, 200 College Drive in the Blackwood section of Gloucester Township.

The site only offers the Moderna vaccine, which has only been approved for residents 18 years of age and older. It doesn’t have the Pfizer vaccine, which is also available for residents who are 16 and 17, but other vaccination sites in the county do. Read more here: COVID Vaccine Sites In Camden County: Where To Get Your Shot

There has been an abundance of the vaccine available for about three weeks now, a stark contrast from when the vaccine first became available, but availability was scarce, Nash said.

As of Thursday, 366,758 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Camden County. There are 221,346 people with at least one vaccine dose, and 161,537 people who are fully vaccinated.

That means about 50 percent of Camden County residents have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, Nash said.

“To have roughly half of our adult population with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine before May is an incredible feat, but we still have a lot of residents who need to be protected,” Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said. “Now that vaccine eligibility is open to all adults, there’s nothing to stand in your way of getting vaccinated. If you haven’t made your appointment yet, now is the time to contact our vaccine center and schedule your shot.”

The goal is to get more than 75 percent of Camden County adults vaccinated to help get closer to herd immunity. After that, the health community is waiting to see about the need for a booster shot, Condoluci said.

“Pfizer for example, there’s a thought that there will be a need for a booster, likely in the fall, depending on when you received the vaccination,” Condoluci said. “I imagine Moderna will be the same. That’s likely something we’ll determine very soon.”

The Camden County Vaccination Clinic is currently open to those with appointments only. Appointments can be made by visiting camdencountyvaccine.com or by calling 856-549-0530 or 1-800-999-9045.

If you are having difficulty scheduling your appointment online or you need to reschedule your second appointment, email COVID19VaxCenter@camdencounty.com. If you have any questions, call the COVID-19 Vaccination Center Hotline at 856-549-0530.

To keep up with the latest vaccination news, visit Patch's New Jersey COVID-19 Vaccination Information Hub.

Keep up to date with what's happening in your community by subscribing to your local Patch newsletter here