ONTARIO — After spending two years behind masks, shields and office doors while working to provide health services amid COVID-19, officials at the Malheur County Health Department briefly set aside
MALHEUR COUNTY
As health authorities around the country fall in line with federal guidance to push the pause on distributing anymore of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine until further review, officials with the Malheur County Health Department say the reason is for an âextremely rare potential side effect.â Additionally, they state that if it is related, looking at the overall data matters.
âIf it is related, itâs important to keep in perspective that itâs six out of 6.8 million, and that the risk of potentially damaging health effects and risk of death from COVID-19 are far greater,â reads an emailed reply from Erika Harmon, public information officer at Malheur County Health Department on Tuesday morning. âVaccines are safe and effective, and they are necessary to save lives.â
WESTERN TREASURE VALLEY
The Argus Observer is reaching out to public health officials this morning regarding the breaking national news about the U.S. ârecommending a âpauseâ in administration of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine,â as reported by the Associated Press early this morning.
Many will likely be meeting this morning to discuss the development.
Erika Harmon, public information officer for the Malheur County Health Department said that is what she and Director Sarah Poe will be doing this morning, after their weekly staff meeting wraps up.
Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration are investigating reports of potentially dangerous blood clots, with six women reportedly having developed them âdays after vaccination, in combination with reduced platelet counts.â