The state department of health is following guidance from the CDC and FDA and halting the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine. Both the CDC and FDA are investigating a possible connection between blood clots and the one-dose vaccine. Tulane School of Medicine Professor Doctor Lisa Morici said six women were diagnosed with blood clots six to thirteen days after their injection.
“There’ve been almost seven million doses of the vaccine that have been administered and we’ve seen six blood clots, all in women under the age of 50,” said Morici.
The six women not only had blood clots in the sinuses of the brain but also appear to have a reduced platelet count.
According to the Louisiana Department of Health 85,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been administered, in Louisiana and no reported complications or blood clots.
Morici said this only affects the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, not the others in the U-S, and should not discourage you from being vaccinated.
“This is a pause of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine out of an abundance of caution, and this does not have anything to do with the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines,” said Morici.
While the stop usage is receiving lots of attention, Morici said the blood clots could be a result of something else for example smoking and not the vaccine, so it is important the cases be thoroughly investigated.
“But it is an extremely rare event, and the FDA has paused vaccination out of an abundance of caution to review the data and see if they can make specific recommendations for going forward,” said Morici.
Morici said once the investigation is completed the CDC and FDA could recommend the use of the vaccine in a particular demographic or stop usage altogether if they do find a link between the vaccine and blood clots.
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