In comparison, about 1 in 600 Americans have already died from covid-19 or infection as a contributing factor, which means the risk of getting infected with the coronavirus is much higher overall.
The problem is that the blood clots have struck younger women, whose personal risk of covid-19 is lower.
The women, all aged 18 to 48, developed severe blood clots six to 13 days after receiving the vaccine, the FDA said in a press release. According to the New York Times, one woman has died and another is in critical condition.
This means that people, especially women, who have recently received the J&J vaccine should be on the lookout for severe headaches, pain in the abdomen or legs, and shortness of breath. After about two weeks, the risk seems to pass.
The government has warned that the type of clot seen – called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis – is very unusual and that heparin, a common blood thinner often used to treat clots, could be dangerous in these cases. A group of advisers from the US Centers for Disease Control will meet on Wednesday, April 14 to review the cases and “assess their potential importance.”
In a statement, Johnson & Johnson said it was “aware of an extremely rare diseaseInvolving vaccinees and said he decided to postpone the deployment of his vaccine in Europe.
Transfer clots have also been linked to another vaccine, AstraZeneca, which has been widely used in Europe but is not yet licensed in the United States. European regulators have in some cases recommended that young people avoid this vaccine.
The J&J and AstraZeneca vaccines both employ an adenovirus, a component that is believed to be harmless. Now scientists will find out whether the adenovirus, or some other aspect of the vaccine, causes an immune reaction leading to clots.
The two most widely used vaccines in the United States, sold by Moderna and Pfizer, are mRNA vaccines that use different technology. These vaccines often cause muscle pain and fever, but have not been associated with blood clots.
The break announced by the FDA is likely to reduce the use of the J&J vaccine at federal vaccination sites. States and hospitals may choose to continue giving it depending on the patient’s age and risk profile, although several governors, as well as pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens, have said they will also suspend injections. , reported The New York Times.
The J&J vaccine requires a single injection and is more convenient than the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which both require two doses. However, the manufacturing of the company was plagued by problems. Now, with the concern over side effects, the role it plays in the US response may become even more limited.