Texas Health Commissioner Says Johnson & Johnson Vaccines Should Resume
AUSTIN, Texas (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Coronavirus vaccine providers in Texas should resume using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Texas health commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt said Saturday.
"The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is an important tool in our fight against COVID-19, and the scientific review over the last 11 days has affirmed its safety and effectiveness," said Dr. John Hellerstedt.
Texas joined several other states Saturday in ordering or recommending a resumption after after U.S. health officials said Friday that they were lifting an 11-day pause on vaccinations using the J&J vaccine.
During the pause, scientific advisers decided the vaccine's benefits outweigh a rare risk of blood clot.
This all comes after 15 confirmed reports of blood clots out of the nearly eight million vaccines given out. The confirmed cases involved women, and three were deadly.
"We think of it as very rare, but it's not very rare when it's your mother, your daughter, your wife," said Dr. Diana Cervantes, an epidemiologist with UNT Health Science Center.
Cervantes said the pause, along with the reports, may only lead to more vaccine hesitation.
"I think there will be some impact, and I think that's really the purpose of being transparent," said Dr. Cervantes. "You want to make sure you're giving people all the information available, so they can make informed decisions and choices."
The state health department on Saturday reported more than 2,200 newly confirmed or probable virus cases and 49 additional deaths.
There have been more than 2.8 million confirmed or probable virus cases in Texas and 48,946 deaths since the pandemic began. The state health department reports more than 2.7 million people have recovered.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)