Shortly after the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) made their ruling on Apr. 23, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) said they were advising vaccine providers to resume use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. “After recommending a pause out of an abundance of caution, we join our federal partners in encouraging everyone to get vaccinated against COVID-19 with the vaccine available to you,” Cara Christ, MD, director of ADHS, said in a statement. “Arizonans can be confident that all COVID-19 vaccines approved for emergency use, including the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, have undergone a thorough review for safety and efficacy. The federal review will continue on all of the vaccines as more people are vaccinated.” And for tips on how to prepare for your upcoming shot, check out The One Thing You Must Do Before and After Your Vaccine, Doctors Say. On the evening of Apr. 24, California Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted that the Golden State “will resume administering [the Johnson & Johnson vaccine] immediately.” He said that he was among the Californians to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and urged everyone in the state to get vaccinated ASAP. Shortly after the CDC’s announcement on Apr. 23, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Colorado Joint Vaccine Task Force alerted vaccine providers in the state that they can start using the vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson again “immediately.” “We are happy to have this highly effective, one-dose vaccine back as an option for Coloradans,” Eric France, MD, CDPHE chief medical officer, said in a statement. “We appreciate the caution the CDC and FDA took to evaluate the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and are ready to ramp back up distribution as quickly as possible.” Connecticut also reintroduced the Johnson & Johnson vaccine this weekend. The state’s Department of Public Health spokesperson Maura Fitzgerald told a local NBC News affiliate that while they’ve advised vaccine providers to start using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine again, each provider can decide whether to put it back into rotation or not, so she suggests calling your local provider to check. “This pause and review will hopefully give people confidence that we take the safety of these vaccines very seriously and are committed to ensuring that they meet the highest safety and effectiveness standards,” Connecticut’s Acting Department of Public Health Commissioner Deidre Gifford, MD, said in a statement to NBC News on Saturday. The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) took to Twitter on Apr. 24 to share the news that the state would be giving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine again. “Federally-supported vaccination sites will resume the use of the one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine tomorrow, April 25 at 7 a.m. Each site will have the capacity to administer up to 3,000 doses per day,” the state emergency response team wrote. Additionally, the vaccine sites will have new consent and screening forms commensurate with the recently issued guidance that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should come with a waning, ensuring recipients are aware of the risks. One of the questions listed asks whether the person getting vaccinated has a bleeding disorder or takes medicine for blood-thinning medication. And for more on who’s at risk of clotting, check out If You Have This Blood Type, You’re More Likely to Get Blood Clots. The Georgia Department of Public Health also announced on Apr. 23 that they would carry on with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine this weekend. Tony Marshall, president and CEO of the Georgia Health Care Association, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “Certainly we’re relieved that we have another available alternative. It was an important part of our planning for the long term.” The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has also chosen to follow the CDC’s recommendation and has resumed use of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine, they said in a statement on Apr. 23. “Providers in Illinois who previously received doses of J&J vaccine will be able to immediately begin administering the vaccine,” the IDPH said. “Approximately 760,000 doses were allocated to Illinois before the pause, of which approximately 290,000 were administered.” The Indiana Department of Health announced on Apr. 23 that free mass vaccination clinics will be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which will be administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. “From April 24-29, individuals age 18 and older will receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which received approval to resume use from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday,” the department said in a statement. On Apr. 23, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) also urged any vaccine providers with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on hand to immediately resume administration. They noted that vaccinators, recipients, and caregivers should consult the FDA’s revised fact sheet for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which now includes information about the risk of blood clotting, “which has occurred in a very small number of people who have received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.” The CDC’s decision to lift the Johnson & Johnson pause led the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) to return to administering the jab. On Apr. 24, the LDH informed “all providers that they may resume administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine immediately and encourages all Louisianans to take advantage of the available vaccines,” according to the department’s news release. “The FDA had recommended the pause out of an overabundance of caution due to an extremely rare condition reported in a small number of individuals nationwide. Safety is all of our top priority, and we appreciate the thorough review,” Louisiana State Health Officer Joseph Kanter, MD, said in a statement. “We have the upmost confidence in the safety and monitoring process and commitment to transparency.” The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) announced on Apr. 24 that the state supports bringing back the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. “The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is one of our most important tools in the ongoing fight to prevent hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19,” said Jinlene Chan, MD, MDH’s deputy secretary for public health services. “By resuming use of this safe and effective vaccine in Maryland, we will continue to bolster our ability to stay ahead of new cases and emerging variants.” Kate Reilly, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts COVID-19 Response Command Center, announced on Apr. 23 that the state’s Department of Public Health told all providers they can resume Johnson & Johnson vaccine administration. In an email to The Boston Globe, Reilly said: “The federal government had recommended the pause out of an abundance of caution due to an extremely rare condition reported in a small number of individuals nationwide, and the administration appreciates their careful review of this matter.” And for more on signs of clotting, If You Feel Pain Here After Your Vaccine, the CDC Says Call Your Doctor. In a joint statement on Apr. 24, Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah, MD, and Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew, PhD, said that the Johnson & Johnson shots should be administered, as well. “Maine recommends that providers resume use of the J&J vaccine effective immediately,” the statement read, according to a local NBC News affiliate. “[The CDC and FDA’s] thorough scientific investigation demonstrates the strength of the U.S. vaccine safety system. We stand ready to work with providers to resume use of the J&J vaccine as part of our broader effort to vaccinate Maine people quickly and equitably.” The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also announced on Apr. 23 that vaccine providers can once again administer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. “We are glad to be able to begin administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine again in Michigan following the thorough review and recommendations of … [the] CDC and FDA,” Chief Medical Executive and Chief Deputy for Health Joneigh Khaldun, MD, said in a statement. “This brief pause indicates there is a robust safety review process in place for these vaccines.” The day the CDC made their ruling, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services issued the following statement: “Missouri COVID-19 vaccinators will resume use of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine. … It was concluded that the known and potential benefits of the J&J vaccine outweigh its known and potential risks.” They said Missouri providers who had unused doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from prior to the pause “will be able to immediately begin administering the vaccine.” The Missouri Department of Health also advised that “although the side effects of concern are extremely rare, the FDA and CDC recommend that people who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks of receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should immediately contact their health care provider.” The same day the CDC’s ACIP ruling came down, the Nevada Health Response Team released a statement saying, “The state of Nevada will follow the [ACIP] recommendation and the Nevada State Immunization Program will begin notifying vaccinating partners to resume use of the Janssen vaccine doses in their inventory.“ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb “The benefits of the one-shot Janssen vaccine clearly outweigh the risks—that’s what the short pause allowed leading scientific minds to study and review, at both the federal and state level,” Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak said in a statement. “As one of many Nevadans who gladly took this vaccine when it was offered to me, I look forward to resuming the use of the vaccine in our state, along with the Moderna and Pfizer products. Every shot in an arm puts Nevada one step closer to recovery.” New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith M. Persichilli, RN, shared the news that the Garden State was also lifting its pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Friday night, Apr. 23. “The Department tonight will notify vaccination Points of Dispensing that we are providing them with updated FDA fact sheets for patients and providers and that they may resume administration of the one-dose vaccine,” Persichilli said in a statement. “This process should demonstrate for the public that the federal vaccine safety monitoring system is strong and should instill confidence in receiving any of the three approved vaccines.” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo shared the news on Apr. 24 that his state “will resume administration of this [Johnson & Johnson] vaccine at all of our state-run sites effective immediately.” “The vaccine is the weapon that will win the war against COVID and allow everyone to resume normalcy, and we have three proven vaccines at our disposal,” Cuomo added in his Saturday statement. “I urge every New Yorker to take whichever one is available to them first.” And for more up-to-date COVID vaccine news, sign up for our daily newsletter. After the ruling about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Apr. 23, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services released a statement on Apr. 24 “recommending that providers in the state resume administration of the vaccine now that the CDC and FDA have reaffirmed its safety.” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine released a statement on Apr. 23 in support of resuming use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in his state. “A comprehensive analysis by the independent medical professionals on the ACIP has resulted in the recommendation that the benefits of Johnson & Johnson vaccine outweigh the risks, and that vaccine administration resume,” he said. “Providers in Ohio are permitted to immediately resume administering Johnson & Johnson vaccines in Ohio, provided they continue to follow all guidance by the CDC and FDA.” The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is also back in Oklahoma. According to a local ABC News affiliate, state health officials said they told vaccine administrators on the evening of Apr. 23 that they could administer the shot again if they had any available, with an extra warning about the rare blood clots. The ABC News affiliate said vaccinations have dropped off in the state, which Oklahoma Deputy Health Commissioner Keith Reed said was “not necessarily due to Johnson & Johnson, although that’s a contributing factor. But it’s definitely an indication that we need Oklahomans to step up and get vaccinated.” And for signs of blood clots, know that If You Have 1 of These 8 Side Effects, the CDC Says “Seek Medical Care Urgently.” The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, which works with the governors of California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, completed its own review of the blood clots as a result of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and advised those states to resume use of the vaccine. “I am grateful to count myself among the nearly 7 million Americans protected by the Johnson & Johnson vaccine,” Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said in a statement. “With this thorough scientific review by leading state and federal doctors, scientists, and health experts, Oregonians can be confident that this vaccine is safe and effective, and that the benefits of vaccination against COVID-19 far outweigh the risks of this exceedingly rare adverse effect.” One of the few women who died due to a blood clot linked to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was from Oregon, which Brown pointed out in her statement. “My heart goes out to the family in Oregon who lost a loved one after receiving her shot, and all others who may have been impacted by this rare condition,” Brown said. The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced they too were reinstating the Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to the CDC’s recommendation. “After a thorough review, federal experts have determined that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is safe for all individuals,” Pennsylvania’s Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said in a statement. “We continue to urge individuals to get vaccinated as soon as possible with any of the three vaccines available to them.” The Pennsylvania Department of Health said in a statement that “it is important for all Pennsylvanians to remember they have a choice as to which of the three safe and effective vaccines they receive.” In the wake of the CDC and FDA recommending use of the J&J vaccine resume, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) issued a statewide notification on the evening of Apr. 23 to vaccine providers that “any provider with Janssen inventory, which they have been properly storing since the federal pause, is now able to administer the single-shot vaccine to the public. ’ In a statement, the DHEC said they encourage “all South Carolinians who have not yet received their vaccination to get their Janssen, Moderna, or Pfizer shots as soon as possible.” The Tennessee Department of Health announced on Apr. 23 that they were informing vaccine providers to resume administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as soon as possible. “We’re excited to get this third vaccine option back into use in Tennessee,” Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey, MD, said in the news release. “While the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine is in short supply, most vaccine providers in Tennessee continue to have abundant supply of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines,” the department said in a statement. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) notified residents of the Lone Star state on Apr. 24 that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was back in rotation. “We know some Texans prefer the simplicity of a single-dose vaccine, and the ease of storing and handling this vaccine gives providers more flexibility. Resuming the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will prevent hospitalizations and save lives in Texas,” John Hellerstedt, MD, Texas DSHS Commissioner, said in a statement. And for some post-vaccine advice, Do This Immediately After Getting Your Vaccine, Doctors Say. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox hailed Johnson & Johnson’s jab as the “best vaccine” because it’s one dose, making it easier to fully vaccinate those in difficult geographic locations, people with busy schedules, and anyone with a fear of needles. “We are relieved that these doses will rejoin our arsenal in the fight against COVID-19,” Cox said in a statement on Apr. 23. “Utah residents should be confident in the process that led to the pause, and also the process that led to the lifting of the pause,” Michelle Hofmann, MD, deputy director of the Utah Department of Health (UDOH), also said on Friday. According to the UDOH news release, the lifted vaccine doses will resume shipping next week and any vaccine providers who have doses already available can start administering them again. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) also announced on Apr. 23 that they would tell vaccine providers across the state “to resume administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine immediately,” Virginia State Vaccination Coordinator Danny Avula, MD, said in a statement. Avula added he hopes the “extra scrutiny” the J&J vaccine was under would “instill confidence in the system that is in place to guarantee COVID-19 vaccine safety.” “As with any vaccine, we encourage individuals to educate themselves on any potential side effects and to weigh that against the possibility of hospitalization or death from COVID-19,” Avula added. “We encourage all Virginians to schedule an appointment to receive one of the three available free COVID-19 vaccines.” On Apr. 24, Washington State Department of Health said that the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine was available for use again. “For people currently seeking COVID-19 vaccination, three vaccines are authorized for use. If you are concerned about the increased risk of the J&J vaccine, Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are also currently available,” they said. “DOH will continue to monitor the situation related to J&J vaccine and provide updates.” In a statement, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said: “The benefits of the J&J vaccine outweigh the risks associated with it. We want to keep as many people free from COVID and out of the hospital as possible, and the J&J vaccine will help us get through this pandemic. I encourage people to get whatever vaccine is available to them.” And for more recent COVID news, Dr. Fauci Just Said You May Not Need a Mask When You Do This Very Soon.
