GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Wisconsin vaccinators are going to start giving the one-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine again.
This comes after a week-long pause was put in place to give the CDC and the FDA time to investigate reports of severe blood clots linked to the vaccine.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been sitting on shelves of clinics for more than a week. But, Wisconsin’s Health Services Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk, says vaccinators across Wisconsin are ready to get the shot into people’s arms again.
“We had quite an influx of J and J the week before the pause so I know a number of vaccinators still have some on hand,” said Willems Van Dijk.
Dr. Ashok Rai says Prevea vaccine clinics have the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and will begin giving them once plans are final.
“We’ll see what we have for supply and what makes sense,” said Dr. Rai. “We had scheduled opportunities to use that J and J, that was replaced with Pfizer and Moderna since then.”
Dr. Rai says it could take a day to plan Johnson & Johnson clinics again. But, he says Prevea will offer the vaccine with confidence.
“The red flag went up, the took pause appropriately, did the right research to make sure it wasn’t going to be a large issue, found it to be an extremely rare event and rarer than issues that happen with medications we take all the time. The benefit greatly outweighing the risks,” said Dr. Rai.
He is also confident that the pause reassured levels of trust in some Northeast Wisconsinites who were hesitant about the one-dose vaccine.
“We’re talking six cases in over a million shots given,” said Dr. Rai. “Very small risk there.”
But Dr. Rai wants to remind people, if they don’t want to take the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, they don’t have to. For example, when scheduling your shot, Prevea lists which vaccine will be available that day.
“If you’re uncomfortable with J and J, get Pfizer. If you’re uncomfortable with Pfizer, get Moderna,” said Dr. Rai. “The fact is we offer all three. Clinics offer all three you’ll be able to get any which one you want.”
The week of April 5, the state received about 85,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The following week, is when the vaccine use was paused.
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