PA Orders Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Pause Through April 20

PENNSYLVANIA — Following the FDA's statement Tuesday addressing safety concerns with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Pennsylvania will not administer any doses of that vaccine for at least the next week.

The pause in the vaccine, which is in place through April 20, is "out of an abundance of caution" after blood clots were found in six women who received the vaccine. That's out of the roughly 6.8 million Americans who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Pennsylvania officials said this precaution is proof that preventative measures are in place.

"We really are looking at an unprecedented vaccine rollout and the scrutiny applied to it," Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said. "This pause is crucial to retain trust around the process as a whole."

The single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been administered to 262,739 Pennsylvanians thus far. The bulk of those are the state's teachers and school employees, who were prioritized in the rollout last month.

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The state has also paused its regional vaccine clinics, which had been opened to appointments using Johnson & Johnson.

The individuals with the rare blood clots were all women between 18 and 48. The CDC is holding an emergency meeting on Wednesday to further review the vaccine and examine any other potential cases.

“The CDC and the FDA are closely monitoring vaccines for safety and effectiveness, and if there is a cause for concern, they will take action because safety is paramount," Beam added.

The announcement is a blow to the state's vaccination efforts, which had been gaining serious momentum in recent weeks. The state had just opened up eligibility to the general public to receive the vaccine on Tuesday.

While many Johnson & Johnson appointments will be impacted by the announcement, Pfizer and Moderna appointments in the state will continue.

If residents who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine already have health concerns, officials recommend they contact their healthcare provider.