Ulster County will immediately cease administering the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine following recommendations by federal health authorities made after six women across the U.S. developed a rare blood clotting disorder.
Over seven million Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses have been administered so far. The FDA and CDC said in a joint statement that “these adverse events appear to be extremely rare.” The clots appeared in six women aged 18-48; one case was fatal, another has required hospitalization.
Ulster County Commissioner of the Department of Health and Mental Health Dr. Carol Smith issued the following statement:
Out of an abundance of caution, the CDC and the FDA have recommended halting the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Ulster County is immediately putting a pause on administering this vaccine while a review is underway. I applaud the CDC and FDA for taking this matter seriously, and we will continue to closely monitor the situation. Here in Ulster County, we have not had any resident report a severe reaction to any vaccine that we have administered. However, any resident that may have a concern regarding a vaccine should reach out to their medical provider.
As we continue our work to counter COVID-19, Ulster County remains committed to ensuring the health and safety of our residents. As we have from Day One, we will always follow the science and public health data when making decisions about health protocols and vaccine administration. As such, we will continue to administer the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines as planned. I encourage all residents in Ulster County to visit VaccinateUlster.com and sign up for an appointment.