The Department of Health said Thursday a 26-year-old Pennsylvania woman is among those hospitalized for a rare blood clot after receiving Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine.
The department extended its pause on distributing the vaccine until April 24 in step with guidance from the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after six women between the ages of 18 and 48 developed blood clots within two weeks of receiving the one-shot vaccine.
One woman has died, so far. The Pennsylvania resident afflicted with the condition recovered in a New Jersey hospital, the department said.
“The safety procedures built into the vaccination process are working and should instill confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the available COVID-19 vaccines,” Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said. “I urge individuals who have appointments scheduled to receive a Pfizer or Moderna vaccination to keep those appointments.”
About 6.8 million Americans have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine since it secured FDA approval last month. Some 247,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered in the state, so far, the department said.
The advisory does not impact the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, which have been more widely distributed and have not been tied to the blood clot concerns.
The department said Monday anyone who received the vaccine more than three weeks ago shouldn’t fear the rare side effect. Others should contact their health care providers if symptoms of a blood clot develop, including severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath.
“This protocol should give all Pennsylvanians confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine, and individuals should proceed with getting vaccinated as soon as possible to fight the virus, particularly as our case counts rise,” Beam said Monday.
