PHILADELPHIA, PA– US health officials recommended Thursday that most Americans should receive the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines instead of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that can cause rare but serious blood clots.
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The clotting problem has caused nine deaths confirmed after the J&J vaccines, while the Pfizer vaccines Y Modern do not carry that risk and also appear more effective, according to advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Here’s what is known about clots in women immunized with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine
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The panel recommended the unusual move to give preference to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and on Thursday night CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky accepted the panel’s advice.
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The Philadelphia Commissioner of Health, the Wear. Cheryl Bettigole, responded to the comments of the CDC in a written statement Thursday, stating that those who received the J&J vaccine more than two weeks ago and have not experienced any symptoms should be fine.
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“It is important to remember that no one who experienced the side effect of blood clotting did so more than two weeks after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, so if it has been longer, it should be fine,” said Dr. Bettigole. “If you recently received a first dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the last four weeks, seek immediate medical attention if you experience certain symptoms.”
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Those symptoms include the following:
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Intense headache
Back pain
New neurological symptoms
Severe abdominal pain
Difficulty breathing
Leg swelling
Small red spots on the skin (petechiae)
New or easy bruises
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Dr. Bettigole also detailed the differences between the vaccines.
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“The Johnson & Johnson vaccine works differently than the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, and this blood-clotting side effect has not been seen in people who received those vaccines,” he wrote. “I still highly recommend that all eligible individuals receive all doses of the COVID vaccine for which they are eligible as soon as possible. People under the age of 60 should look for the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, rather than J&J. “
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A call for vaccination
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The official also reiterated the importance of continuing to be fully vaccinated.
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“Even with this new development, COVID vaccines are our best defense against severe COVID disease,” he wrote. “They can reduce your risk of contracting and transmitting COVID, and are much more likely to prevent you from experiencing serious symptoms.”
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During a press conference on Wednesday, which marked the first anniversary of the arrival of the first COVID vaccines to Philadelphia, health leaders warned that the city was entering the most dangerous time of the pandemic since last winter.
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Bettigole said that 220,000 people in the city are still not vaccinated. He also said that around the 91 percent of COVID cases more recent are people who are not vaccinated. Finally, he revealed that until Tuesday 347 people in Philadelphia were hospitalized for COVID.
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“Please do not celebrate or attend Christmas parties indoors,” he said. “It’s too dangerous. Instead, profess your brotherly love and brotherly affection by wearing your mask, avoiding crowded indoor spaces, and stay home if you’re sick.”
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Initially, a recent negative COVID-19 test will also be accepted. However, after January 17, negative COVID-19 tests will no longer be accepted for most customers and vaccinations will be required. Restaurant workers must also be vaccinated.
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Children under the age of 5 or those with valid medical or religious exemptions will be able to show recent proof of COVID-19 to enter.
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Experts talk about the effectiveness of vaccines with the new strains of covid-19
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