The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration are issuing a “pause” on distribution of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. They’re investigating the potential link between extremely rare reports of blood clots after taking the vaccine.
Nearly seven million people have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the U.S. The investigation is out of precaution, given that blood clots were not a side effect during clinical trials.
Rupali Limaye is a director of behavior and implementation science at Johns Hopkins. She said the investigation could heighten hesitancy among those who already were reluctant to take the vaccine, or there's another way to look at it.