April 27, 2021 – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has resumed the use of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine following the announcement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that they have lifted the previously recommended pause on the J&J vaccine.
The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) conducted a thorough review of the vaccine after reports emerged of cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals following administration of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. Upon notification of the recommended pause, the Macon County Health Department (MCHD) immediately and temporarily ceased administration of the vaccine until further notification from CDC and ACIP was received.
The pause of the vaccine permitted experts to conduct an extensive review of these cases; allowed them to inform providers and clinicians about the potential adverse events and how they can be recognized and treated; and provided proof that the extensive safety monitoring system is working and was able to detect a very small number of adverse events. The FDA has concluded that the known and potential benefits of the J&J vaccine outweigh its known and potential risks. The MCHD will resume the administration of this vaccine and will announce future clinic details once they have been scheduled.
