San Mateo County Health Pauses Use of Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) Vaccine

To help inform our residents about the public health response to COVID-19, the following is a statement from Dr. Anand Chabra, MD, COVID-19 Vaccination Branch Chief: 

“With the announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration regarding concerns about of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) in combination with low levels of blood platelets in a small number of Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine recipients, San Mateo County Health is pausing the use of the Janssen vaccine in all of its operations. County Health has also directed its vaccinating partners, including hospitals and local clinics, to suspend use of the Janssen vaccine until it is officially cleared by CDC/FDA.”

In San Mateo County, a total of 564,367 shots of COVID-19 vaccine have been delivered by County Health, health care providers and hospitals, pharmacies, community clinics and other partners. Of the total, 22,306 shots are of the Janssen vaccine. This represents 3.952 percent of total vaccines administered in San Mateo County, the others being the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Over 5,700 doses of Janssen have been used by County Health and its vendors in mass vaccination and community events for all eligible residents, for homeless populations and homebound residents, and in other settings. 

San Mateo County Health received 500 Janssen doses this week, which will be held pending further state and federal guidance.

Community clinics with planned use of Janssen will be switched to Pfizer or Moderna. Other initiatives that utilize Janssen, including vaccination of homebound residents, patients discharged from hospitals, and new bookings at correctional facilities, will be reevaluated.

The County does have some targeted events planned with J&J this week, but we have been able to supply those events with available Pfizer and Moderna doses so that those events can still take place at the same number of doses as planned.