Hartford-area clinics halted vaccinations with the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine early Tuesday after a warning from the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that the medication was linked to blood clots in six U.S. patients.
The state Department of Public Health (DPH) announced early Tuesday that it was recommending that all Connecticut providers pause administering the J&J COVID-19 vaccine while the FDA and CDC complete their review.
About 100,000 Connecticut residents have received the J&J vaccine with no reported serious adverse events, according to the DPH. Nationwide, 6.8 million people have received the J&J vaccine, with six women aged between 18 and 48 developing a rare and severe type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis within two weeks of receiving a J&J shot.
Hartford HealthCare (HHC) announced an immediate halt to use of the J&J vaccine at its sites including the Connecticut Convention Center, Foxwoods Resort Casino, MidState Medical Center and Windham Hospital in Willimantic.
“We have adjusted our vaccine distribution in every one of our vaccines clinics to provide only Pfizer and Moderna products,” said Dr. James Cardon, HHC chief clinical integration officer. “We immediately followed the guidance of federal health agencies while the health concerns with J&J are being thoroughly investigated.”
The reported complications are serious but it’s important that providers wait for the results of federal studies, Cardon said at a news conference Tuesday. The blood clot disorder reported in relation to the J&J vaccine is an auto-immune condition and can develop spontaneously, he said.
“We need to investigate but it’s really important we don’t undermine the benefits of [vaccination] with speculation,” Cardon said.
Education and outreach has been helping change the minds of those who are “vaccine hesitant,” said Keith Grant, HHC senior system director for infection prevention. But the sudden halt of J&J shots can add to uncertainty, he added.
“It does add some cloud in a situation that already had some people very cautious,” Grant said.
A total of 300,000 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered by HHC at fixed and mobile vaccine clinics statewide as of Tuesday morning — 18,857 using J&J; 236,370 doses (combined first and second) of Pfizer, and 75,971 combined doses of Moderna.
