AMESBURY — The Lower Merrimack Valley Regional Collaborative has been notified by the Massachusetts Department of Public Heath that federal authorities have called for a pause on the use of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, effective immediately.
At 7 a.m. Tuesday, the CDC tweeted that the Federal Government has called for a pause on use of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine after rare clotting cases occurred in some patients.
Approximately 2,000 people have received this vaccine at LMVRC clinics in Amesbury and West Newbury. The collaborative is anticipating guidance from state and federal authorities on any advisories or information that may need to be sent to those patients.
A Janssen clinic scheduled for Thursday, April 15 with approximately 250 registered patients has been cancelled, however all patients registered for this clinic will be contacted and given the opportunity to register for a Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine during a clinic session this weekend. No patient will lose their opportunity to receive a vaccine.
“This is an unfortunate situation, but as always we will abide by the guidance and information we receive from our state and federal health partners,” said Amesbury Fire Chief and Health Director Ken Berkenbush. “We are pleased that we will be able to hold our patients faultless and ensure that all patients who would have received a Janssen vaccine this week will have the chance to receive a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.”
The Lower Merrimack Valley Regional Collaborative comprises Amesbury, Georgetown, Groveland, Merrimac, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley, Salisbury and West Newbury.
JGPR is providing communications services to this effort on a pro bono basis.
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