APRIL 13, 2021 — The Delaware Division of Public Health today said it is suspending its use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after reports a very small percentage of people receiving the one-shot inoculation later developed blood clots.
“The Division of Public Health shares the FDA’s and CDC’s concerns regarding the six cases of blood clots nationwide, among those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “We are unaware of any issues of blood clots in Delaware that may be related to this vaccine. Out of an abundance of caution, we are recommending that our Delaware vaccine partners hold off on using the J&J vaccine until the situation has been further assessed. The state will not use J&J at its vaccination sites until we receive further federal guidance.”
According to information released from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as of April 12, more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen ) vaccine have been administered in the U.S. The CDC and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are reviewing data involving the six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the J&J vaccine. In these cases, a type of blood clot was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets. All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination.
Even with the suspension in administering one of the three COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Delaware, the Carney administration announced today that medical providers, including hospital systems, may now vaccinate Delawareans aged 16 or older — whether or not they have a high-risk medical condition.
“This news means that any eligible Delawarean who wants a COVID-19 vaccine should be able to get one — whether it’s at their doctor’s office, a local pharmacy, or a community vaccination event,” Governor Carney said.
The state’s COVID-19 vaccination program is now fully open to Delawareans 16+ at any vaccination provider. As of yesterday (April 12), Delaware providers had administered 568,003 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
