A number of local appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine will be affected by a pause in use of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
Governor Mike DeWine advised all vaccine providers Tuesday morning to temporarily stop using the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
The guidance followed a statement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommending a “pause” in use of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine following “extremely rare blood-clotting events of six people in the U.S. after receiving the vaccine.”
The Ohio Northern University Mobile Clinic, which has been providing shots at the Union County Fairgrounds each Wednesday, uses the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
The ONU Mobile Clinic was designated as a state-sponsored mass vaccination site by DeWine and scheduled to be in Union County weekly through May.
Joy Brown, ONU associate director of media relations, said the mobile clinic will be temporarily halted following the federal orders.
“We are complying with that,” she said, adding that the pause is “a bit frustrating.”
Brown said all mobile clinics will be canceled this week, but Ohio Northern officials are working on “alternate plans” to acquire vaccines from another manufacturer.
She said those who had an appointment will be contacted with further details via the contact information they provided when they originally scheduled.
The Union County Health Department administers the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, each of which require two doses. The pause does not affect vaccines made by those manufacturers.
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UCHD has spots available
COVID-19 vaccine appointments are currently available through the Union County Health Department.
UCHD is administering the Pfizer vaccine by appointment in a drive-thru clinic at the Union County Fairgrounds.
Those interested in scheduling an appointment should visit www.uchdclinic.org or call (937) 642-2053.
The Pfizer vaccine is a two-dose series that can be administered to anyone 16 years of age or older. UCHD reserves a second dose for each person that receives their first dose through the health department.