From the office of Colorado Governor Jared Polis
Yesterday, Governor Polis was joined by CDPHE Executive Director Jill Ryan to provide an update on the future of the county-level dial system and our COVID trends. Tri-County Public Health Executive Director Dr. John Douglas discussed what regional coordination can and should look like after April 16 when the dial system evolves into guidance and gives even more control back in the hands of communities across the state.
Colorado’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Eric France addressed our state’s response to the CDC and FDA’s recommendation to pause distribution and administration of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine in the US following adverse events.
Dr. France explained that on April 13, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Colorado Joint Vaccine Task Force asked providers to temporarily stop administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in the state after federal agencies reviewed reports of six individuals in the US who got rare and severe blood clots after receiving the vaccine. The decision to pause the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is out of an abundance of caution following the FDA and CDC recommendation. The federal government is allowing states to determine whether to pause use, and CDPHE is requiring providers to stop administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine until additional information becomes available.
One of the reasons the FDA and CDC are recommending this pause is to ensure that health care providers are aware of these potential but rare adverse events, and can respond accordingly. The treatment for these types of blood clots is not the common treatment for blood clots and more time is needed to make sure healthcare providers know how to recognize and treat these rare occurrences.
COVID-19 vaccine safety and the health and safety of all Coloradans is a top priority. These adverse events appear to be extremely rare.
Individuals who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than a month ago are at very low risk of serious side effects.
Anyone who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine within the last three weeks and develops severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath should contact their health care provider. These symptoms are different from the flu-like symptoms people may experience after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Healthcare providers should report any adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).
Anyone scheduled to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will either receive the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine instead, or the vaccine provider will contact them to reschedule their appointment once FDA and CDC release additional information. The state’s mobile vaccination buses, which have been administering only the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, are canceled today and Wednesday.
Going forward, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will hold an emergency meeting on April 14th to further review the cases and assess their potential significance, while the FDA continues to investigate. The State will be sharing additional information on how this affects Coloradans as soon as it becomes available.
We’re not out of the woods yet, Colorado. For at least the next thirty days, we will be in a race against variants, but a full dose of the vaccine helps get every Coloradan across the finish line.
If you haven’t been vaccinated, it’s more important than before to wear a mask and avoid socializing until you get vaccinated. There are plenty of openings, sign up today at a provider near you. You can find a list at COCOVIDVACCINE.ORG or call 1-877-CO VAX CO (1-877-268-2926).
Let’s work together to reduce hospitalizations and get our number of new cases down – wear a mask, keep your distance whenever possible, and continue doing what has worked best from the beginning so we can sooner lead normal lives.