Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine has been a favorite vaccine for those who wanted a single shot rather than having to schedule two vaccinations with either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines. However, after six patients in other states suffered serious clots, the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) has announced that they are temporarily pulling the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 

Although the blood clots are known to have occurred in only six individuals out of nearly seven million shots in the entire country, and zero of the 85,000 administered in Louisiana, there may be greater cause for concern in some age/gender groups. According to a press release from the Louisiana Department of Health, “All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination.”

To be clear, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has not been definitively found to cause blood clots. The government is still investigating the exact cause while the vaccine is being pulled at the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to Dr. Joseph Kanter, Louisiana’s State Health Officer, “We do not yet know whether these reported cases of blood clotting were caused by the vaccine. The State of Louisiana takes vaccine safety very seriously, and this temporary pause should give the public and providers confidence the system of monitoring and safety checks are working as intended.”

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards had this to say, “Today’s pause in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is out of an abundance of caution. This morning, I had a call with White House officials and other governors to discuss this issue as we work to safely get as many Louisianans 16 and older vaccinated as quickly and safely as possible. While I understand that this news may be concerning, I remain committed to working alongside public health experts to make sure people can get the answers they need to make an informed decision.”

This issue of blood clots has also been a worldwide concern with AstraZeneca’s vaccine, one requiring two shots, which is still unavailable in the United States. 

The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will still remain available while this is being sorted out, with the press release stating, “CDC will convene a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on Wednesday to further review these cases and assess their potential significance. FDA will review that analysis as it also investigates these cases. Until that process is complete, LDH is temporarily pausing in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution.”