J&J vaccine pause: What’s next?

BOSTON — Pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens that administer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are now reaching out to affected customers letting them know their appointments have been canceled and that they’re working to reschedule them.

Regional sites say no one will lose out on their appointment; those people will now receive the Pfizer vaccine and can register for a clinic this weekend.

This comes after the U.S. on Tuesday recommended a “pause” in using the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to investigate reports of rare but potentially dangerous blood clots.

What about those who already got the J&J shot? What should they be on the lookout for?

If you got your shot recently, in the last three weeks or so, you want to look out for any symptoms that are different than flu-like symptoms.

If you experience severe headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath, you should call your doctor.

The risks are considered low for anyone who received the shot a month ago.

The White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator said this will not have a significant impact on the vaccine rollout. The U.S. has secured 300 million doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine.

The Johnson & Johnson pause comes as the company had to throw out 15 million doses because of a manufacturing error at a plant in Maryland so supply for that vaccine was already going to be low over the coming weeks.

The CDC Advisory Committee is set to meet Wednesday and discuss findings regarding the Johnson & Johnson vaccine but has already said the paise is only expected to last a few days.

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