Washington state can resume use of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, Inslee says
Gov. Jay Inslee reauthorized the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in Washington state on Saturday.
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) paused the use of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine statewide starting April 13, following the guidance of the FDA/CDC after six reported U.S. cases of a rare type of blood clot, called thrombosis, in individuals after receiving the vaccine.
The pause was only associated with the J&J COVID-19 vaccine, not the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
The Western States Workgroup, comprised of vaccine experts from Washington, California, Oregon and Nevada, sent a letter to the governors of those states on Saturday, concluding that the J&J vaccine is safe and effective.
“This is a safe medicine that has been reviewed by the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup,” Inslee tweeted on Saturday. “We need every weapon to fight this pandemic.”
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a total of 15 cases of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) have been reported, which includes the original six cases, according to a Saturday press release from the Washington state Department of Health.
“All the cases occurred in women between the ages of 18 and 59, occurring six to 15 days after vaccination. DOH is not aware of any cases in Washington,” the release stated.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), organized by the CDC met on April 23 to discuss the cases and voted to reauthorize its use.
“The benefits of the J&J vaccine outweigh the risks associated with it,” Inslee said in a press release on Saturday. “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. If you have questions or concerns, consult a provider to help answer questions you have.”
This story was originally published April 24, 2021 at 4:42 PM with the headline "Washington state can resume use of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, Inslee says."
