'Something To Be Aware Of': Mass. Residents Keep An Eye On Johnson & Johnson COVID Vaccine Pause
BOSTON (CBS) – CVS is among the facilities that has paused all Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine doses so the FDA and CDC can investigate six cases of a "rare and severe" type of blood clot in women. As a result, some Massachusetts residents who were scheduled to receive their vaccines on Tuesday worried about what happens now.
As of Monday, more than 180,000 doses of the single shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been administered in Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health followed the recommendation of the FDA and CDC, and directed all providers in the state to pause doses until federal health experts further investigate the six reported clotting cases.
John Fiorello and his wife were both scheduled to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine Tuesday and Wednesday. After hearing the news, the couple worried they wouldn't be receiving a shot.
A short time later, they received an email from the vaccine clinic saying appointments were still on, and the Moderna vaccine would be used instead.
"Honestly I wasn't very concerned. What is it, six out of 7 million people got it? I was still going to get it if they would give it to me," he said.
According to the FDA, all six cases being reviewed occurred among women between the ages of 18-48. Symptoms occurred 6-13 days after vaccination.
Alexandra Rubin received her shot just over a week ago.
"I'm right in the middle of it which isn't the greatest feeling," she said. "It's something to be aware of. I'm not overly concerned about it."
After speaking with her doctor Tuesday morning, Rubin took comfort in just how rare the cases appear to be. She plans to just look out for symptoms associated with the vaccine.
"It was what I got, and I would do it again, even if it was a part of the listed things to look out for on the facts sheet," Rubin said. "If there's a one in a million chance you could get or develop this type of clotting disorder I would still get the vaccine."
According to the Department of Public Health, none of the six cases being reviewed by the FDA and CDC are linked to Massachusetts.
