US to resume J&J COVID vaccinations despite rare clot risk

(AP) -- U.S. health officials have lifted an 11-day pause on Johnson & Johnson vaccinations following a recommendation by an expert panel.

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday the benefits of the single-dose COVID-19 shot outweigh a rare risk of blood clots.

Panel members said it's critical that younger women be told about that risk so they can decide if they'd rather choose another vaccine.

The CDC and Food and Drug Administration agreed.

European regulators earlier this week made a similar decision, deciding the clot risk was small enough to allow the rollout of J&J's shot.

“We as clinicians, obviously in alignment with DHS and what recommendations are at the state level, will respond accordingly,” said Dr. Matt Anderson with UW Health.

He says they will also focus on education.

“I think certainly people are going to have a lot questions about it. I imagine, people are going to say immediately ‘No.’ I think there are going to be people who say they still want it, preferentially because it’s one dose only and I think there are going to be some people that are going to say ‘Gee, what are the differences?’ And want to talk through it.”