Washington Approves Use Of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

WASHINGTON — Health care providers in Washington state have been cleared to administer the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine once again.

According to the Washington State Department of Health, medical practices, clinics and health departments across the state had been holding on to around 170,000 doses of the vaccine, which they can now put to use.

Administration of the vaccine was paused last week after rare cases of blood clots emerged in six people who had taken the vaccine. At its meeting Friday, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) reported that there had been nine new confirmed cases of the thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) blood clots, bringing the total to 15. All the cases were in women. Two of the cases were in women older than 50 while the rest were in women between the ages of 18-48.

Following their review Friday, the ACIP voted 10 - 4 with one abstention to approve the vaccine for use once again, with the caveat that the FDA include a warning statement that informs patients about the slight risk of TTS.

Symptoms of TTS include severe headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain, and shortness of breath. Anyone experiencing those symptoms after vaccination should contact their doctor immediately.

Doctors are quick to point out that TTS is extremely rare, though there have been 15 reported cases in the U.S. that's out of 8 million Americans who have received the J&J vaccine.

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) says they're hopeful the country's quick response to the issue will inspire confidence that the J&J vaccine, and the other two approved coronavirus vaccines, are safe for widespread use.

“Above all else, safety is our top priority. The pause was proof the surveillance systems in place to monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines are working,” said Secretary of Health Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH. “These findings once again show we have three vaccines available that are effective and safe.”

The DOH does note that anyone who is concerned about the news should consider choosing the Pfizer or Moderna shots instead.