With J&J Uncertainty Ongoing, Montco Prepares For 2 Scenarios

NORRISTOWN, PA — As the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Johnson & Johnson vaccine pause continues, Montgomery County is planning for a variety of scenarios moving forward to continue their administration efforts.

The county was particularly hard hit by the pause, as they'd been slated to receive 10,500 weekly J&J doses. They would've have 16,000 first doses of vaccine available for the general public just this week, if the pause hadn't occurred.

As it turned out, they had only about 8,000, from the Pfizer vaccine. Future shipments of that vaccine are also unclear.

"We still have no firm guidance on what to expect next week," Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh said Wednesday.

National health policy leaders are meeting again on Friday to discuss the J&J vaccine. It is paused in Pennsylvania through at least Saturday. Montgomery County is preparing for both outcomes: either a continuation of the pause, or its resumption. Hoping for the best, the county has already scheduled J&J appointments starting next Wednesday, April 28.

"If we get Johnson & Johnson back, we'd have quite a few appointments that would open back up," Arkoosh noted.

Next, assuming J&J doses can resume, the plan would be to reopen the two clinics they had shuttered due to the pause. That would also happen next Wednesday.

There were 18,000 individuals who registered for a vaccine in the county over the last 10 days, after the county opened up eligibility to the general public over the age of 16.

For those who might still be concerned about J&J but who are scheduled to receive it, they have the option to change their appointment to receive Pfizer.

If J&J remains paused, the county is prepared to continue what it's been doing for the past week, administering whatever Pfizer doses it has at its existing clinics. Their capability to do that will be determined by how many doses they receive from the state, but they expect, at a bare minimum, to receive a promised baseline of 5,860 weekly doses.

All told, the county has partially vaccinated 54.7 percent of its eligible, over 16 population.