Mississippi pauses use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine after 42,000 doses given
The Mississippi Department of Health has instructed physicians, clinics and hospitals to halt the use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine for the coronavirus after people who received vaccinations for COVID-19 developed blood clots.
Dr. Thomas Dobbs, state health officer, tweeted Tuesday morning that Mississippi should refrain from administering doses of Johnson and Johnson until more guidance is available from federal health experts.
Dobbs and Dr. Paul Buyers, state epidemiologist, held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to answer questions.
This is a temporary pause, they said, to get more information on the rare clotting syndrome seen in about six women between the ages of 18 and 48, and the death of one of those women.
This syndrome is similarities to the AstroZenaca vaccine that was discontinued in areas of Europe, Dobbs said.
“And because of this, the department of health will pause all Johnson and Johnson administration and distribution until we get additional information from CDC and FDA,” he said.
Symptoms are experienced 6-13 days after receiving the J&J vaccine. Anyone in Mississippi who received the vaccine in the last three week and experiences severe headaches, severe abdominal pain, severe leg pain or shortness of breath should contact their doctor, they said.
In Mississippi:
▪ 42,000 Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been given, at clinics and other locations but not at the MSDH drive-thru sites
▪ 95,000 doses were ordered, more than 40,000 in the last week
▪ 65% of the doses in Mississippi were given to residents 50 and over, who are outside the age identified as at risk for clotting
▪ 54% of the doses went to females, 46% to males
▪ 54% of the J&J doses went to white residents and 37% to Black residents
Based on current data, Dobbs said, the risk of developing the clotting issue is going to be less than one in a million. The mortality rate from COVID-19 for the affected 25-39 age group is 2 deaths per 1,000, he said.
The health department reported 78 breakthrough cases — when a person who is fully vaccinated becomes ill with the disease. Of those 78 breakthrough cases, one person died of COVID-19.
To date, 635,000 people in Mississippi have been fully vaccinated.
On Tuesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration joined the Centers for Disease Control in urging a halt on the vaccine, which require a single shot rather than the two required for Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.
More than 6.8 million doses of J&J have been administered in the U.S., and the CDC is investigating reports of six people who reportedly died after taking the vaccine.
The concern is only for the J&J vaccine, Dobbs said, and he urged Mississippi residents to get vaccinated with Moderna or Pfizer.
This story was originally published April 13, 2021 at 9:44 AM.
