Michigan is pausing use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
That’s after federal health officials recommended a pause across the country Tuesday morning after six reported cases of blood clots in women who got the J&J vaccine. That’s out of almost 7 million people in the US who received the Johnson and Johnson shot.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s spokesperson said in a statement the state will pause J &J doses:
“The safety and health of Michiganders will always come first. We will follow the FDA’s guidance to temporarily pause the Johnson & Johnson vaccine out of an abundance of caution, and adapt our vaccine strategy going forward until a further review of the data can be conducted. With this latest development, it’s more important than ever for the federal government to implement a targeted strategy that allocates additional Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to hotspots like Michigan to slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. Governor Whitmer will continue fighting for the vaccines we need to protect Michiganders, so we can get back to normal as soon as possible.”
At the same time, the governor has said Michigan needs more vaccines to help slow a third COVID surge. The Biden administration has refused to up the dosages allocated to the Michigan, which currently leads the nation in cases per capita.
The statement also said the state will “adapt” Michigan’s vaccine strategy, but Whitmer’s office offered no details on what that means.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet Wednesday to discuss the rare clots and potential significance.