PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island will resume the administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, the R.I. Department of Health announced Monday evening.
The move follows a recommendation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that the temporary pause on the vaccine be lifted. The pause was initiated on April 13 following reports that six individuals in the United States experienced a rare and severe type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, RIDOH said. The complications in those individuals were discovered up to two weeks after vaccination.
RIDOH said that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA have since determined that the vaccine’s benefits outweigh the potential risks. None of the reported blood clots occurred in Rhode Island.
There have been 31,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine administered in Rhode Island already, and roughly 7 million across the U.S.
Appointments to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be available through the state’s COVID-19 vaccine portal beginning this week, as well as through other channels, RIDOH said. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is available to anyone age 18 or older.
“This pause in the administration of Johnson & Johnson vaccine demonstrates that we have rigorous safety systems in place, and those systems work,” said R.I. Director of Health Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott in a statement. “We will continue to monitor both the safety and the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine. We continue to see that COVID-19 vaccine is preventing cases, hospitalizations and fatalities in Rhode Island. Everyone older than 16 years of age is now eligible to get vaccinated. Getting vaccinated is the best way to keep yourself and your loved ones safe when it comes to COVID-19.”
The department of health also said that state health care providers have received information and guidance on CVST and appropriate treatment for the condition. The department noted that while CVST is an extremely rare side effect, those receiving a Johnson & Johnson vaccine that develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks of receiving the vaccine should contact their health care provider immediately.
