Updated Tuesday, April 13, 9:25 a.m.
The pace of vaccines in Alexandria and nationwide was set to slow down due to a manufacturing error at a pharmaceutical plant manufacturing the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.
Now, it will slow down even more as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration Tuesday morning recommended a pause in using the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine entirely due to potential blood clotting issues.
"Right now, these adverse events appear to be extremely rare. COVID-19 vaccine safety is a top priority for the federal government, and we take all reports of health problems following COVID-19 vaccination very seriously. People who have received the J&J vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider," the CDC stated.
Virginia officials announced an immediate stop order for use of the vaccine until further notice. A small number of women between the ages of 18 - 48 developed blood clotting issues after receiving the vaccine.
“If you have an upcoming appointment for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you will be contacted to reschedule that appointment,” said Virginia vaccine coordinator Dr. Danny Avula. “This pause is reassuring in that it demonstrates that the systems that are in place to monitor vaccine safety are working.”
The timing is particularly difficult, as the Alexandria Health Department (AHD) is expanding COVID-19 vaccination eligibility to all residents ages 16 and older.
Many pre-registered residents have already received emails to schedule an appointment for as soon as this week for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and those residents will be contacted to reschedule by text, email or a phone call.
Those scheduled for Moderna or Pfizer vaccines will likely not be affected, but the shortage of Johnson & Johnson vaccines may mean a longer wait to get a vaccine appointment.
A manufacturing error at an Emergent pharmaceutical plant manufacturing the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine last week resulted in the company discarding 15 million doses of the vaccine, which means states were already preparing to receive fewer doses from Johnson & Johnson than it had in recent weeks.
In Virginia, the state's allotment of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was set to decrease by about 90 percent until the company planned to ramp up production and distribution again later this month, according to state vaccination coordinator Dr. Danny Avula. Some residents have said they prefer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because it is only one dose.
Now with the CDC order, the number of available Johnson & Johnson vaccines will drop to zero.
1 in 5 Virginia Residents Fully Vaccinated
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 3.295 million people in Virginia have been at least partially vaccinated, or 38.6 percent of the population. About 1.94 million people, or more than 1 in 5 residents, are fully vaccinated. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one dose, whereas vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna/BioNTech require two doses spaced a few weeks apart.
Distribution of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines remains on pace.
Last week, Inova Health Systems announced it had delivered 300,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, accounting for 25 percent of all shots in Northern Virginia and 10 percent statewide. Due to the recent opening of the Inova Stonebridge Vaccination Center at the Victory Center in Alexandria's Eisenhower West neighborhood, Inova has significantly increased vaccine distribution. In the past month alone, Inova Health System has delivered more than 100,000 doses to Virginia residents. The Inova Stonebridge Vaccination Center has been serving 4,500 residents per day.
In Virginia, anyone age 16 and older will be able to get a coronavirus vaccine starting Sunday, April 18. Residents can register or get more information, including phone numbers, at vaccinate.virginia.gov.
Alexandria's multiple vaccination clinics have gotten wide praise from residents for efficiency in recent weeks, as the Alexandria Health Department innovated by opening clinics at closed retail outlets, schools and multiple other locations.
But in a surprise twist, AHD Director Dr. Stephen Haering announced his retirement, effective immediately, on Friday. Neither Haering nor City of Alexandria officials provided a reason for his sudden and unexpected departure.
“Dr. Haering’s leadership was key to Alexandria’s ability to respond quickly and nimbly to the COVID-19 pandemic in our community,” said City Manager Mark Jinks in a statement. “His almost 11 years of service to our community have made Alexandria safer, healthier and more resilient. We wish him well in his retirement.”
Dr. Anne Gaddy, formerly deputy director at AHD, is now acting health director. She has been intimately involved in planning and organizing Alexandria's vaccination clinics.
