HAMILTON — Ravalli County Public Health is pausing the administration of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. The decision comes after the health department received a CDC Health Alert from the State of Montana to halt the vaccinations.
The move is “out of an abundance of caution, pending review of recent reports of side effects relating to a rare type of blood clot experienced by individuals who have received this vaccine,” Ravalli County Public Health Director Tiffany Webber stated.
All previously scheduled appointments for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for Thursday, April 15 in Ravalli County have been canceled. However, Webber notes the administration of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines will continue as scheduled.
“We have full confidence in the process underway at the CDC and FDA to evaluate the information related to these reported cases and assess potential implications on vaccine policy,” Webber said in a news release.
People who have recently received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their healthcare provider or seek medical care.
Webber says that local vaccine providers will be awaiting further information “and will evaluate resuming vaccination only after receiving clear guidance and direction from the CDC, FDA, and Montana DPHHS.”
The Montana COVID-19 tracking map shows that 24,096 does have been administered and 10,418 Ravalli County residents are fully immunized.