Southwest Health district resumes use of J&J vaccine; local COVID count at 32

ALBANY — Following a thorough safety review, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the CDC, and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have determined that the recommended pause regarding the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine in the U.S. should be lifted.

As of Wednesday, the Southwest Public Health District resumed the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for Georgians aged 18 and older, Dr. Charles Ruis, the health director for Southwest Public Health District 8-2, said in a news release.

“Because our supply of that vaccine tends to be lower than our Moderna inventory, it is reserved for those individuals best served by a single-dose option,” he said, such as those vaccinated on site at schools and businesses as well as those who are homebound.

Federal agencies have advised that a warning should be added to the vaccine about the potential for very rare, but severe blood clots associated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. In particular, women under the age of 50 should be made of aware of the increased risk of thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome and may choose to receive another vaccine.

At the time Johnson & Johnson vaccine administration was paused, more than 124,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine had been safely administered in Georgia. Approximately 211,000 doses are currently in inventory statewide.

Health care officials in the community kept a wary eye on COVID-19 numbers this week as the numbers edged up after several weeks of remaining in the 18-24 range of COVID-positive patients. On Thursday, Phoebe Putney Health System announced that its COVID count was at 32, with 30 patients being treated at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital facilities in Albany and two at Phoebe Sumter medical Center on Americus.

Vaccination remains one of the nation’s best tools for stopping the spread of COVID-19, along with basic prevention measures – wearing a mask, distancing from others, avoiding large gatherings, and washing hands frequently, Ruis said.

To schedule a vaccination appointment online, visit southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org, or call a local health department or the appointment hotline at (229) 352-6567.