After the announcement that Missouri has paused the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, the Springfield-Greene County Health department is urging people to sign up for the other vaccines.
After six women in the United States developed serious blood clots following a dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department said it will instead promote the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for the time being.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nancy Yoon said those who’ve received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine shouldn’t be alarmed, as 6.8 million people have gotten the vaccine nationwide and these side effects are extremely rare.
“The distribution of the vaccine has been halted after six cases," Yoon said. "So, six cases out of 6.8 million in the United States.”
No clotting cases have been reported in Greene County, officials said.
On Tuesday, local health officials said about 7,000 people have gotten the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Greene County, including about 6,100 who got it last week as part of a mega-vaccination clinic held at Missouri State University.
Assistant Director of Health Jon Mooney emphasized the pause is out of an abundance of caution while the CDC and FDA investigate potential causes of the blood clots.
“It doesn’t mean that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is not safe. It doesn’t mean that at all," Mooney said. "Instead it means that they’re pausing to study it to understand it better at this time.”
The health department encourages the public to sign up for the other two widely available vaccines at vaccine417.com or by calling 417-874-1211.
