Health officials recommended a pause on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday after six people experienced rare but severe blood clots.
The six adverse reactions to the vaccine were experienced by women aged 18 to 48 and resulted in one death. In a joint statement issued Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration said the “these adverse events appear to be extremely rare.”
As of Tuesday, more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had been administered.
Healthcare providers are urging the public to receive the currently approved and authorized Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
Dr. Juanita Mora, an allergist and immunologist at the Chicago Allergy Center, said she’s observed vaccine hesitancy in the Latino community and said only about 11 percent of Illinois’ Latino community has received the COVID-19 vaccine.
“We have a lot of work to do but vaccine hesitancy is going to increase even more,” Mora.
You can read more about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine pause recommendation on the CDC’s website