Johnson & Johnson vaccine remains on pause

Johnson & Johnson vaccine remains on pause

A Northwell Health registered nurse fills a syringe with the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at a pop up vaccination site inside the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center, Thursday, April 8, 2021, in the Staten Island borough of New York. Ahead of Ramadan, Islamic leaders are using social media, virtual town halls and face-to-face discussions to spread the word that it’s acceptable for Muslims to be vaccinated during daily fasting that happens during the holy month. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

UNDATED (AP) — Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine will remain in limbo a while longer.

Distribution of the virus remains on hold after government health advisers said they need more evidence to decide if a handful of unusual blood clots were linked to the shot — and if so, how big the risk really is.

The reports are exceedingly rare — six cases out of more than 7 million U.S. inoculations with the one-dose vaccine.

But the government has recommended a pause in J&J shots this week. The move came soon after European regulators declared that such clots are a rare but possible risk with the AstraZeneca vaccine. The AstraZeneca shot is made in a similar way as the J&J vaccine — and is not yet approved for use in the U.S.

 

Photo: A Northwell Health registered nurse fills a syringe with the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at a pop up vaccination site inside the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center, Thursday, April 8, 2021, in the Staten Island borough of New York.  (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)