Marion County Health Department Administrator Melissa Mallow working Tuesday morning signing people in for a Moderna vaccination clinic at the First Christian Church in Salem. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
The decision to pause use of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is already having a big impact on the Marion County Health Department.
Health Department Administrator Melissa Mallow says because only one shot, instead of two is involved, it has become the favored vaccine.
“Fortunately it’s going to be a huge impact on us locally. We had a mass vaccination clinic scheduled for this Thursday where we had 225 people enrolled to be vaccinated. But obviously we are going to have to postpone that at this time. We will offer them the Moderna vaccine at a different time if they want it. Hopefully maybe if Johnson and Johnson is approved we can do more clinics, but it definitely will slow us down.”
Mallow says they have openings for the Moderna vaccine.
“Desire, the need for it has slowed down. We have openings for our in-house Moderna clinics that people haven’t filled yet.”
The Illinois Department of Public Health reports the pause will allow the CDC and FDA to review data involving six reported US cases of a rare and severe type blood clot in individuals after receiving the J and J vaccine.
Per federal health authorities, people who have received the J and J vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider. Patients with other clinical questions should contact their health care provider.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reports of the 483,720 doses of vaccine scheduled to arrive in Illinois next week, only 5,800 were expected to be Johnson and Johnson.
