With J&J vaccine pause, experts say Pfizer, Moderna vaccines still safe

WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – As scientists from the FDA and CDC continue to investigate the issues that led to a “pause” in the emergency use of the Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccine, doctors and federal officials are now trying to reassure the public of the safety of the other vaccines still being used.

The latest guidance from the CDC is that that outside advisory panel looking at the Johnson and Johnson vaccine wants more time. It’s now talking about a week to ten days as it evaluates the data because we now have a seventh woman who has developed these very rare blood clots associated with a J&J vaccine.

Seven cases out of seven million doses is literally one in one million. Because of that, the CDC is also trying to reassure the public there is absolutely no connection and no link with Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. This is simply with the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, and very rare at that. Still, the company is saying that it believes that the vaccine is safe and that the benefits far outweigh any remote risk.

Meanwhile, across the country, 13 states are reporting an increase of cases, in fact up 25% or more across the country. And, so to have now this problem with not enough vaccine, it could not come at a worse time.

It takes two weeks for, in some cases, these blood clot issues to show up.

Over the last two weeks, about 3.8 million people received the J&J vaccine. So it’s possible that there could be more of these blood clot issues that show up over the coming days and weeks.