The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States have recommended a pause in the rollout of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine. This recommendation comes following 6 reports of a rare type of blood clot (cerebral venous sinus thrombosis) in combination with a reduced number of platelets (thrombocytopenia) in individuals who have received the vaccine.
All 6 reports involved women aged 18–48 years, with symptoms developing 6–13 days following vaccination. Sadly one patient has died.
The CDC is urging all health care professionals to be on alert for symptoms of thrombotic events or thrombocytopenia in individuals who have recently received the J&J COVID-19 vaccine. It recognises that based on studies involving similar thrombotic events in those who were vaccinated with COVID-19 AstraZeneca, the use of heparin when treating such conditions should be avoided.
The CDC and FDA are currently reviewing all available information and will convene an emergency meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on Wednesday April 14 2021, to further review these cases and assess potential implications on vaccine policy.
For more information and read the alert in full please follow the link below: