Norton Sound Health Corporation (NSHC) is pausing its use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine as a precautionary measure due to an extremely rare side effect of blood clotting that has occurred in a small number of patients nationwide. 

NSHC announced today they are following that as a recommendation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA reports that almost 7 million people in the United States have taken the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Six women out of those 7 million people have experienced rare and severe blood clots after taking the vaccine.

While the CDC and FDA finish their investigation into the matter, NSHC will not be offering the Johnson & Johnson shot as a safety precaution. Hospitals around Alaska are following suit.   

In their press statement, NSHC requests that, if you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccination in the last three weeks and are experiencing a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath, you should call your local health care provider.

If you have any questions about this information, you can contact the Nurse Call Line at 443-6411 or 844-586-8773.

Image at top: “Syringe and Vaccine” by NIAID is licensed under CC BY 2.0