[Archived] City of Alexandria to Resume Use of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine After Pause Lifted

For Immediate Release: April 24, 2021 

The Alexandria Health Department (AHD) will resume administering the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Johnson & Johnson following a determination by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that the recommended pause should be lifted in the United States. In accordance with this guidance, the Virginia Department of Health has cleared providers across the Commonwealth to resume administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine immediately. 

AHD will offer appointments to receive Johnson & Johnson vaccines at clinics taking place in the coming weeks. When scheduling a vaccine appointment through AHD, the vaccine options available at each vaccination event are clearly labeled so that individuals may schedule their appointment according to their preferences. AHD recommends receiving the first vaccine available and does not endorse one vaccine manufacturer over another. Anyone who was previously scheduled to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and has not yet rescheduled their appointment will be able to do so using the appointment token they last received. 

The FDA and CDC recommended a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after  six people who received the vaccine developed a rare and severe disorder involving blood clots. After reviewing information collected by the CDC about cases with a possible connection to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended lifting the pause on its use. The FDA and CDC determined that the benefits of using Johnson & Johnson outweigh the potential risks and have confidence that the vaccine is effective in preventing COVID-19. 

As of April 21, almost 8 million people have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. After a full review of reported cases, a rare type of blood clotting disorder called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) was identified in 15 female recipients of the vaccine. The available data suggests that the chance of TTS occurring is extremely low. The FDA and CDC will continue to investigate the risk and monitor vaccine recipients.  

Visit alexandriava.gov/Vaccines for updates and guidance from the Alexandria Health Department and to pre-register for vaccine. 

For support pre-registering for vaccine, contact the Alexandria COVID-19 Hotline on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 703.746.4988. 

For media inquiries only, contact Natalie Talis, Population Health Manager, at natalie.talis@vdh.virginia.gov and 703.746.4914.