What We Know About the J&J COVID-19 Vaccine

You may have read reports of a rare side effect experienced by several people who received the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine. As the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review the six cases of a rare type of blood clot, the agencies have recommended a pause in the distribution of the vaccine out of an abundance of caution.

Nearly 7 million people in the U.S. have received the J&J vaccine. Of those, six women, between the ages of 18 and 48, developed the blood clots, experiencing symptoms between 6 and 13 days of being vaccinated. While health experts have not yet determined to what extent, if any, the vaccine is responsible for the clots, they emphasize that the benefits of vaccination still outweigh the risks for most people.

If you received the J&J vaccine administered at Funds Headquarters in late March and early April, it is likely that you have not experienced significant adverse effects. If you are going to be vaccinated, the FDA recommends that—regardless of the vaccine you receive—you contact your doctor if you develop severe headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks of vaccination. It is important to note that if you experience mild headaches or flu-like symptoms in the first few days after vaccination, these are common side effects brought on by the immune system’s production of a defense against the coronavirus.