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US calls for pause on Johnson & Johnson vaccine after blood clotting cases

Tuesday, 13 April 2021 1:26 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 13 April 2021 1:26 PM ]

Nearly seven million people in the United States have received Johnson & Johnson shots so far.

US health officials have called for an immediate pause in use of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine after some people receiving the shots in the United States developed a rare disorder involving blood clots.

The officials briefed on the decision said on Tuesday they are reviewing at least six cases of a "rare and severe type of blood clot" out of nearly seven million people Americans who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

All six cases were in women between ages 18 and 48. One woman died and a second woman in the state of Nebraska is in critical condition, the officials said.

The type of blood clot allegedly caused by the COVID vaccine is called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), which requires different treatment than usual blood clotting.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to review the cases.

"Until that process is complete, we are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution," said Peter Marks, a top FDA official, and Anne Schuchat, a top CDC official, in a joint statement. "This is important, in part, to ensure that the health care provider community is aware of the potential for these adverse events and can plan for proper recognition and management due to the unique treatment required with this type of blood clot."

This comes as a study has found that the US-made Moderna COVID-19 vaccine leads to more side effects than Pfizer vaccine which was developed by German company BioNTechwith the support of American firm Pfizer.

The data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shown that individuals who receive the Moderna vaccine are more likely to experience post-vaccine adverse reactions and side effects, according to a recent study published in the online journal JAMA.

US COVID-19 vaccine leads to adverse side effects: Study

The study is based on patient data from the CDC’s V-Safe which is a text message-based program designed to track side effects in vaccine recipients.

The data showed incidents of injection site pain, fatigue, itching, and headaches, among other effects.

The study did not include life-threatening episodes, anaphylactic episodes and other allergic reactions.

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