TriCounty Health Department announced on Tuesday that distribution of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson is on pause until further notice. TriCounty Health issued a press release on Tuesday sharing that the pause in distribution is a recommendation out of an abundance of caution and, in response, TriCounty Health is erring on the side of caution as FDA and CDC investigations take place. “The FDA and CDC announced a national pause of distribution after discovering six individuals (out of 6.8 million) experiencing blood clot after 13 days of having received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Nearly 77,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson have been administered in Utah with no reports of blood clots among these patients…out of 180 million doses of Moderna and Pfizer (mRNA vaccines) there has been no evidence of individuals being diagnosed with this blood clot. Announcements explained these blood clots are very rare and are a response from the individual’s immune system responding to the vaccine.” TriCounty Health emphasized that this is rare and only 6 individuals out of 6.8 million have been diagnosed. “…The risks from the pandemic are significant,” shares Tuesday’s announcement. “Vaccination will continue throughout the Uintah Basin, TriCounty Health will continue to hold drive through vaccination clinics at TriCounty Health in Vernal and USU in Roosevelt using Moderna only for the time being.”
