Arkansas pauses use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine

Arkansas public health officials said the state is joining the nationwide pause on Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine following complications related to that vaccine in recent days.
In national reporting on Tuesday, the FDA and CDC were both calling for a pause on distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after six people developed blood clots, with one death, after receiving the vaccine. All six were women between the ages of 18 and 48. None were Arkansans.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Arkansas would join the pause until additional information is available. Clinics and providers in Arkansas are asked not to distribute Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine at this time.
During his weekly COVID-19 Taskforce press conference Tuesday afternoon, Hutchinson agreed with the FDA’s recommendation but urged people not to delay on receiving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
Upcoming vaccine clinics with plans to use the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be provided Pfizer or Moderna varieties instead, said state officials. Hutchinson said six complications out of 6.8 million Johnson & Johnson vaccines distributed so far is an incredibly low ratio and shouldn’t erode confidence in the two other vaccines.
Hutchinson then announced that, beginning this weekend, the Arkansas Department of Health will partner with pharmacies across the state to bring vaccines to homebound Arkansans. Anyone in Arkansas unable to leave their homes can call the Arkansas COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at 1-800-985-6030 to schedule a home vaccination.
Regarding the state’s COVID-19 figures, the Arkansas Department of Health reported 224 new cases of the virus on Tuesday for a cumulative total of more than 332,000 since the pandemic began. A net increase of 23 active cases raises the current total to 1,663 currently confirmed and probable active cases in Arkansas. An additional eight days were reported Tuesday for a statewide total of 5,673 since last May. Hospitalizations fell by eight to leave 148 Arkansans currently hospitalized due to the virus.