FEMA vaccination clinic arrives in Pahrump

The state “paused” the use of the Janssen, or J&J, COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday following the announcement of multiple serious reactions being investigated.

Nevada is following guidance announced on Tuesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a joint release recommending a pause. Six serious, but “rare,” reactions are currently under investigation; none of the cases were in Nevada.

According to the joint release, the six reported cases under review involved a “rare and severe type of blood clot” that were reported to have occurred in individuals after receiving the J&J vaccine.

“In these cases, a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia),” the joint release states. “All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred six to 13 days after vaccination.”

Heparin is typically used to treat blood clots, according to the release. But, “Treatment of this specific type of blood clot is different from the treatment that might typically be administered,” the release states. “In this setting, administration of heparin may be dangerous, and alternative treatments need to be given.”

Nevada’s pause

Nevada is pausing the use of the one-shot Janssen COVID-19 vaccine until the review is completed, according to a release from the Nevada Health Response.

The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services and the Nevada State Immunization Program are working to contact providers in the state to inform them of the announcement and working to avoid disruption of planned vaccination clinics.

According to a release from the state, people should contact their health care provider if they develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks after receiving the Janssen vaccine.

Public Information Officer Arnold Knightly said the limited Janssen doses the county has were not tied to future clinics in Nye.

“The county continues to use the two-dose Moderna at its County Emergency Management-run vaccination PODs, including for the POD scheduled for Thursday in Round Mountain and a second-dose POD Friday in Pahrump,” Knightly said.

Knightly said the, “County Emergency Management will follow the state and CDC guidelines regarding the Janssen and will not administer further doses at this time.”

The mobile vaccination units launched in April were halted on Tuesday, according to a release from the state.

The state is planning an update on future clinics when more information becomes available, a Tuesday release stated.

Today’s announcement about the Janssen vaccine does not affect appointment slots across the state for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Appointment slots for these vaccines remain open in Nevada.

Over 6.8 million doses of the Janssen vaccine had been administered in the U.S. as of Monday, according to the state.

“Nevadans should be confident in this process and the work being done to ensure the vaccines are safe and effective,” a release from the Nevada Health Response states. “Based on information provided by the federal government, these are rare but serious reactions and will be thoroughly reviewed.”

On Wednesday, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet to review the six cases. The advisory committee is comprised of medical and public health experts who make recommendations on the use of vaccines in the civilian population in the U.S., according to information on the CDC’s website.

Providers are being asked to report adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System at https://vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html