Raleigh, NC – The Johnson & Johnson brand of the COVID-19 vaccine has gained popularity with the public because it is a single dose injection.
However, some local vaccine providers have delayed their use of the J&J vaccine after people experienced side effects on Thursday.
On Saturday, demand for the J&J vaccine was still high at a clinic at UNC Family Medicine on Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh.
“Our 200 appointments were fulfilled in about three days,” said Leslie Hopkins, the clinic administrator.
Wake County reported nearly 20 adverse reactions after the J&J admission from a very small percentage of those who ended up at a clinic on Thursday. Symptoms included nausea, dizziness, and fainting in 18 of the more than 2,300 people who received the vaccine at PNC Arena. Wake County will continue to use the shot on Sunday.
Hopkins said they ask more questions of people who get the vaccine, such as whether they passed out or passed out when they have drawn blood in the past. Those who had problems after their shots had previous cases of passing out, Hopkins said.
“We’ve had a few questions from patients today,” Hopkins noted.
On Friday, UNC Health released a statement confirming their position that the J&J vaccine is safe.
“We found that there was nothing wrong with the vaccine itself,” Hopkins said. “It was just an incident of patients who passed out before.”
Page Swanson was one of the first to receive the J&J vaccine from UNC Health after saying they would temporarily stop using the injection. That announcement came when he made his appointment.
“That news came out the same day,” Swanson said. “I’ve been waiting for the reports of what happened to come out.”
The reactions in Raleigh are not entirely isolated. In Georgia, medical officials are on a temporary pause at J&J after eight people experienced side effects at one location on Wednesday. Similar problems have been reported from Colorado and Iowa.
The CDC says there is no safety issue with the J&J vaccine.
Vaccinations against the coronavirus in NC
According to the latest information from the state, 28.4% of adults in North Carolina are fully vaccinated. You can schedule a vaccination for yourself at yourshot.org or by calling (984) 215-5485.