Health care providers across the Chattanooga region are pausing use of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine after federal officials said they're reviewing a possible link to six cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot.
"While the reports of serious adverse events after the administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are rare, six cases out of nearly 7 million doses administered [in the United States, Tennessee Department of Health] is taking necessary precautions and is coordinating with our vaccine providers that may have the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in supply to ensure those in our state who are seeking a vaccine have access to vaccines manufactured by Pfizer or Moderna," reads a Tuesday statement from the Department of Health.
"Our vaccine supply continues to surpass demand, and we do not anticipate this shift will impact our efforts to vaccinate as many Tennesseans as possible. We continue to monitor the situation closely," the statement reads.
Tennessee's pause of the Johnson & Johnson vaccinations was based on new recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which are now investigating the blood clot cases in question. All six cases occurred in women between the ages of 18 and 48 within six to 13 days after receiving the shot. One of those women died, according to the Associated Press.
Georgia health officials also announced a pause and issued a similar statement.
"Right now, these adverse events appear to be extremely rare, but out of an abundance of caution [the Department of Public Health] will temporarily stop the administration of the J&J vaccine while scientists review the data around these cases. More than 124,000 doses of J&J vaccine have been safely administered in Georgia," reads a news release from the Georgia Department of Public Health.
"Vaccination remains one of our best tools for stopping the spread of COVID-19, along with basic prevention measures - wearing a mask, distancing from others, avoiding large gatherings and frequent hand washing," the release states.
Officials said health care providers should be aware of the potential for these adverse events and plan the necessary treatment for this type of blood clot, called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, which is different from typical blood clots.
"Usually, the anticoagulant drug called heparin is used to treat blood clots. In this setting, the use of heparin may be harmful, and alternative treatments need to be given," according to a statement from the CDC.
The CDC will hold an emergency meeting of its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on Wednesday to further review the cases and assess potential changes to vaccine policy.
The recommendation to pause use of the J&J vaccine is not a mandate and will likely only last a few days, according to the Associated Press.
People should contact their health care providers if they have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and develop severe headache, backache, new neurological symptoms, severe abdominal pain, shortness of breath, leg swelling, tiny red spots on the skin or new or easy bruising.
CDC officials said the clotting cases reported after the J&J vaccine are similar to those reported in Europe after receipt of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which uses a similar technology.
Johnson & Johnson was the third company to roll out a COVID-19 vaccine in the United States, with the first shipments reaching the Chattanooga region about a month ago. So far, local availability of the vaccine has lagged behind both Moderna and Pfizer, the other two companies with COVID-19 vaccines that are authorized for use in the United States.
The Johnson & Johnson shot has been highly sought after, because it's now the only COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. that requires a single dose as opposed to two doses spread out over about a month's time. It's also easier to store and handle than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. For these reasons, the J&J shot has been heralded for its ability to reach underserved communities that face more barriers to vaccination.
Johnson & Johnson's clinical trials showed slightly less effectiveness in preventing illness when compared to the two-dose regimens of Moderna and Pfizer, which each boast about 95% efficacy in preventing COVID-19 symptoms. However, it's difficult to compare the vaccines, because each company organized their trials differently. All three options have been highly effective in preventing coronavirus-related hospitalizations and deaths.
Officials from the Hamilton County Health Department said the pause will have minimal impact on the local vaccine supply, since all three of the department's drive-thru sites use Pfizer's vaccine exclusively. Those sites and the new "instant appointment" policy will continue uninterrupted.
However, the department's Homeless Health Care Clinic has been administering both Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines, according to Becky Barnes, Hamilton County Health Department administrator. So far, the health department has administered 20 Johnson & Johnson shots at its homeless clinic, with 10 of those given in the last 14 days, Barnes said via email.
The health department also provided Johnson & Johnson's vaccine for a community event last month during which 550 doses were administered. The department has 1,600 doses that were going to a community provider for use at another upcoming event, but officials are now working to replace those with Moderna so the event can still take place, Barnes said.
"The really good news is we have ample supply in our community of both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. We are helping local providers get vaccine who were only offering the J and J," Barnes said. "While this vaccine is paused, I would encourage anyone who had plans to receive it to pivot to Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Both of these vaccines have been given to millions and have an excellent safety record."
In the North Georgia Health District - which encompasses six counties including Whitfield and Murray - health department sites have administered 3,943 J&J COVID-19 vaccines, according to Sherry Gregory, the district's infectious disease director. Of those shots, 141 were given in the last 14 days.
The original doses were allocated to the area's school systems, and what was left over went to people who are homebound and were set to be used in local detention centers. The detention centers will now receive Moderna and Pfizer vaccines instead, Gregory said via email.
Logan Boss, spokesperson for the Northwest Georgia Health District that covers 10 counties including Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Gordon and Walker, said that the district's use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been "very limited" to correctional facilities, teachers in some school systems, and at pop-up clinics aimed at hard-to-reach communities.
Some private providers also administer the shot, but Boss said he doesn't know how many doses have been given in the region so far.
"Our health departments have only been administering Moderna (mostly) and a small amount of Pfizer. Obviously, we've temporarily suspended all use of J&J. We've had no reported adverse events in our district to any of the vaccines," Boss wrote via email. "This news doesn't really affect vaccine availability in our health district - we've got plenty (at last)."
Contact Elizabeth Fite at efite@timesfreepress.com or follow her on Twitter @ecfite.