ALEXANDRIA, Va. — With a green light from federal health officials, many states across the U.S. plan to resume the use of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine.
In accordance with guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that the recommended pause should be lifted in the United States, the Virginia Department of Health has also cleared providers across the Commonwealth to resume administering the vaccine immediately.
Alexandria has already announced its plans to distribute the Johnson & Johnson vaccine once again. The city will offer appointments to receive the vaccine at clinics in the coming weeks and assures that, when scheduling an appointment through the department, the vaccine options available at each location are clearly labeled so that residents can schedule their appointment according to their preferences.
According to a statement from the city, the official recommendation is still for anyone looking to get a shot to take the first vaccine available. The city does not endorse one vaccine manufacturer over another.
All who were previously scheduled to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Alexandria and have not yet rescheduled their appointment will be able to use the appointment token they last received, the department details on the website.
"This extra scrutiny should instill confidence in the system that is in place to guarantee COVID-19 vaccine safety," Virginia State Vaccination Coordinator Dr. Danny Avula said in a statement. "As with any vaccine, we encourage individuals to educate themselves on any potential side effects and to weigh that against the possibility of hospitalization or death from COVID-19."
Other states ordering or recommending a resumption include Indiana, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Tennessee and Texas.