COLUMBUS, Ohio — After an 11-day pause, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Ohio providers can resume administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after U.S. health leaders lifted the suspension on Friday.
Out of nearly eight million people who received the J&J shot, the government uncovered 15 people who developed a highly unusual kind of blood clot. All were women, most under age 50. Three died, and seven remain hospitalized.
Scientific advisers said the benefits of the J&J vaccine outweigh the risk of the rare blood clot.
The Ohio Department of Health is issuing guidance to providers to make sure they have the latest information on the J&J vaccine. Part of the guidance is that providers need to know about the treatment methods for anyone who may experience the extremely rare blood clot.
According to the Food & Drug Administration, "People who have received the J&J vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider."
Ohio colleges like Ohio State, Ohio University, the University of Cincinnati were using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine before the pause.
The universities switched to Pfizer or Moderna. It's unclear if or when they will return to the J&J vaccine.
DeWine said additional information on mass vaccination clinics, mobile vaccine strategies and specific sites resuming the J&J vaccine is not available.
In all, more than 4.5 million Ohioans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
