Dear students, faculty and staff,
This morning, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended a pause in administration of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. Due to this recommendation and out of an abundance of caution, the Nazareth on-campus vaccine clinics scheduled for students today from noon to 7 p.m. and Wednesday from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. are postponed until further notice.
From an Associated Press report this morning:
In a joint statement Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said they were investigating unusual (blood) clots in six women that occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. The clots were observed in the sinuses of the brain along with reduced platelet counts — making the usual treatment for blood clots, the blood thinner heparin, potentially “dangerous.”
More than 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the U.S., the vast majority with no or mild side effects…. The other two authorized vaccines, from Moderna and Pfizer, make up the vast share of COVID-19 shots administered in the U.S. and are not affected by the pause….
Johnson & Johnson points out, “At present, no clear causal relationship has been established between these rare events and the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine.”
Given the data and the extremely low incidence rate, there is no reason to panic if you’ve received the J&J vaccine. The data demonstrates that the benefits of receiving the vaccine far outweigh the risks.
Students, if you are concerned about symptoms or your health in general, please contact Health and Counseling Services at 585-389-2500. Faculty and staff, if you have concerns, contact your health care provider.
We will hold our current vaccine supply until we are advised otherwise. We will continue to update the community as we work with the Monroe County Department of Health and the CDC and we have more information to share.
Sincerely,
Susan Quinn
Director, Health and Counseling
