Feds Hit Brakes On J&J Vaccine; Essex County Switches To Moderna

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Federal authorities are advising agencies across the U.S. to hit the brakes on their distribution of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, and the effects are already starting to trickle down to Essex County.

On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested a temporary pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Both agencies are reviewing data involving six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot after receiving the vaccine.

The FDA reported that, as of Monday, more than 6.8 million doses of New Brunswick-based company's vaccine have been administered in the U.S.

Roughly 235,000 doses have been administered in New Jersey, with none of those patients reporting any similar effects, Gov. Phil Murphy said Tuesday.

“We are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution,” the FDA announced, adding that the adverse events under investigation appear to be “extremely rare.”

People who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine who develop severe a headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider, federal authorities said.

• See related article: Pause Johnson & Johnson COVID Vaccine In NJ, Elsewhere, Feds Say

ACROSS ESSEX COUNTY

Essex County initially used the Moderna version only at its five county-run vaccine sites, which are located in Livingston, Newark, West Caldwell and West Orange. However, the county’s online vaccine site has recently been listing appointments that use the Johnson & Johnson version.

• See related article: How To Get Coronavirus Vaccines In Essex County (See Latest Updates)

The county used its initial supply of 2,000 Johnson & Johnson doses for its mobile vaccination program, which has been inoculating people at locations such as senior buildings and houses of worship.

• See related article: Essex County To Go 'Mobile' With Johnson & Johnson COVID Vaccines

On Tuesday, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said that, in an abundance of caution, the county will be following the advice of the CDC and the FDA.

"Residents who have scheduled a J&J appointment at our Kmart or Sears sites will be offered the Moderna vaccine instead," DiVincenzo said. "Senior citizens who are being bused to our sites to receive their vaccination also will receive the Moderna vaccine."

"Unfortunately, our mobile sites at churches, senior buildings, community centers, shelters, boarding homes and homebound residents will be rescheduled," the county executive added.

Meanwhile, some companies cleared to distribute vaccines in New Jersey – including Walgreens, Wegmans, Stop & Shop, ShopRite and CVS – have announced that they’re halting their use of the Johnson & Johnson version for now due to the federal recommendations.

In Essex County, there are several CVS Pharmacies that are distributing vaccines, including locations in Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, East Orange, Fairfield, Montclair, Newark, West Caldwell and West Orange.

CVS said it is “immediately implementing a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine per the recommendation from federal health agencies.”

A spokesperson with Stop & Shop said the company is following the FDA and CDC recommendations out of an abundance of caution.

“This pause will remain in effect until details of the FDA and CDC reviews are released,” the spokesperson said.

Stop & Shop pharmacies that are currently administering COVID-19 vaccines include locations in Bloomfield and South Orange.

ShopRite said it is canceling customer appointments where the J&J vaccine was scheduled to be administered, effective immediately.

"Customers who are currently scheduled to receive this vaccine will be notified by telephone within the next 24 hours," ShopRite stated. "We are working to obtain additional supplies of Moderna and Pfizer vaccine. Customers who already received the J&J vaccine should refer questions or concerns to their physician or health care provider."

ShopRite pharmacies in Essex County that are distributing the COVID-19 vaccine include locations in East Orange, Livingston and Newark.

• See related article: NJ Pharmacies To Stop Using Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

The Johnson & Johnson freeze won’t affect appointments at a recently opened mass vaccination site in Newark, however, federal authorities say.

The FEMA-run site at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, which opened in late March, is currently using the Pfizer- BioNTech version. It was slated to switch to the Johnson & Johnson version for the final two weeks of operation.

The site offers vaccinations to residents of several zip codes in Newark, East Orange, Irvington, Orange, as well as some residents in Hudson, Passaic and Union counties.

• See related article: J&J Coronavirus Vaccine Pause Won't Impact Newark Site, FEMA Says

ACROSS NEW JERSEY

Statewide, following the federal guidance, the New Jersey Department of Health has paused the administration of the vaccine across all sites in the state, officials announced Tuesday.

“All New Jersey vaccination sites have been told to cancel or put on hold appointments for the J&J vaccine until further notice,” Commissioner of Health Judith Persichilli said.

“For people scheduled to receive the J&J vaccine, the department will work with all vaccination sites to make arrangements for the administration of an alternative two-dose vaccine,” Persichilli said. “We will work with all sites, as needed, to reschedule vaccination appointments.”

The supply of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had already been slowing in the Garden State. On Monday – a day before the CDC and FDA made their announcement – Persichilli said the state is expecting to see a “severely restricted” federal allocation of the vaccine due to production issues.

The state received 131,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson last week, but only 15,600 for this week, Persichilli said at a news conference.

This article contains reporting by Tom Davis, Patch staff

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