The Johnson and Johnson Vaccine

By: Alana Esposito

In mid-April, the CDC and FDA recommended against using doses of the Johnson and Johnson manufactured COVID-19 vaccine after blood clots occurred in multiple patients. And though the United States has plenty of doses -- due to hoarding vaccines that are desperately needed in the 130 countries that still had not vaccinated anyone by mid-February --  this is a major setback for both trust in public health and ease for vaccinations. A YouGov/Economist poll found that following the pause in Johnson and Johnson vaccine distribution, trust in the Johnson and Johnson vaccine fell by 15 points. The pause came after six women in between ages 18 and 49 experienced rare but severe blood clots. Though, given that nearly seven million doses have been administered, it was unclear if the vaccine was the cause. This lack of discussion regarding blood clots in women seems to be a trend (ex. Birth control). 

And though Johnson and Johnson is the only vaccine that needs a single dose and is able to be stored at more normal temperatures, compared to Pfizer’s minimum temperature of -76°F, it also seems to have been causing people’s menstrual cycles to come earlier and more severely. The Washington Post’s, The Lily, first reported that a potential side effect of COVID-19 vaccines were changes in menstrual cycles. However, it’s an unconfirmed side effect that has not been reported or recorded in any of the clinical trials.