WASHINGTON DC – The federal authorities of the United States recommended this Tuesday to “pause” the administration of the coronavirus vaccine developed by the pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson to investigate reports of potentially dangerous blood clots, from which at least one woman has died until the moment.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said they were investigating thrombi detected in six women in the days after vaccination, combined with a reduced platelet count.
Federal authorities said in a subsequent press conference Tuesday that all of the affected women are between the ages of 18 and 48. A woman has died and a second Nebraska woman is hospitalized in serious condition.
“I know that people are worried. If they got the vaccine a month ago, they don’t have to worry. If they got the vaccine a few days ago, then they have to be aware of if they are experiencing any of the dangerous symptoms, “CDC deputy director Anne Schuchat said in a conference call.
The “dangerous” symptoms are different from the flu-like symptoms that can be experienced in the hours or days after receiving the vaccine, Schuchat explained.
Clot-related symptoms can manifest in the first three weeks and include: headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain, or breathing difficulties three weeks after the injection.
Experts say that all three are highly effective.
More than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is a single dose, have been administered in the US. Currently, this vaccine constitutes only a small percentage (less than 5%) of the vaccines administered in the country.
Jeff Zients, director of the team in charge of the federal government’s response to the pandemic, said the pause in the application of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will not affect the national vaccination campaign.
“We have more than 25 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines available each week … that’s more than enough to continue at the current rate of about 3 million daily vaccinations,” Zients said in a statement.
VACCINE USE STOPPED IN FEDERAL CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES
Federal distribution channels, including mass vaccination centers, will temporarily stop using the drug, and states and other providers are expected to do the same.
Two other vaccines, Moderna’s and Pfizer’s, comprise the vast majority of inoculations administered in the US and are not affected by the hiatus.
CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet Wednesday to study the cases. The FDA has started its own investigation.
“Until the process is complete, we recommend a pause in the use of this vaccine as a precaution,” said Schuchat and Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biological Evaluation and Research, in a joint statement.
THE CAUSE OF BLOOD CLOTS AND WHEN THE VACCINE WOULD BE STOPPED
Marks said there is currently no “definitive cause” for thrombi, but the cause would be related to “an immune response that occurs very rarely when people receive the vaccine.
Officials said treatment for these blood clots is different from other non-vaccine-related clots that can occur in the brain, and a specialist should be consulted immediately for treatment.
Both the FDA and CDC said the vaccine pause could be lifted “in a matter of days.”
THE DANGEROUS SYMPTOMS OF THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE
The agencies recommend that those who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and have experienced headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain, or breathing difficulties three weeks after the injection contact their doctor.
Authorities said they want to train vaccine manufacturers and healthcare professionals on the “singular treatment” for these blood clots.
JOHNSON & JOHNSON’S RESPONSE ON BLOOD CLOTS
Johnson & Johnson claimed it was aware of the clots, but insisted a link to its vaccine has not yet been unequivocally established.
“We are aware of thromboembolic events, including some with thrombocytopenia, have been reported in relation to vaccines against COVID-19,” the company said in a statement. “So far, a clear causal relationship between these unusual events and the vaccine has not been established,” he added.
Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine was cleared as an emergency remedy by the FDA in late February with grand ceremony, in the hope that by requiring a single dose and relatively easy storage conditions, it would boost the nationwide vaccination campaign. .
UPDATED JOHNSON & JOHNSON STATEMENT
The safety and well-being of the people who use our products is our number one priority.
We are aware of an extremely rare disorder involving people with blood clots in combination with low platelets in a small number of people who have received our COVID-19 vaccine.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are reviewing data involving six reported cases in the US, of more than 6.8 million doses administered.
As a precaution, the CDC and FDA have recommended a pause in the use of our vaccine.
Internist Jaime Salas spoke about the blood clots in the brain that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine could cause in some people. To see more from Telemundo, visit https://www.nbc.com/networks/telemundo
In addition, we have been reviewing these cases with the European health authorities. We have made the decision to proactively delay the launch of our vaccine in Europe and stop vaccines in all clinical trials of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine while we update the guide for investigators and participants.
We have been working closely with medical experts and health authorities, and we strongly support the open communication of this information to healthcare professionals and the public.
The CDC and FDA have made available information on proper recognition and management due to the unique treatment required with this type of blood clot.
Health authorities advise that people who have received our COVID-19 vaccine and develop a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks of vaccination should contact their care provider. medical.
For more information on the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, click here.
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