AKRON, Ohio — Summit County Public Health started distributing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine again on Saturday.
The return comes after Ohio joined other states in pausing use of the vaccine on the recommendation of the CDC. On April 13, The CDC announced the pause after reports of a small number of people experiencing adverse reactions involving a rare and severe type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. One woman died.
But, that pause has since been lifted. Saturday, hundreds of people rolled up their sleeves for their chance to stay COVID-19 free. There was a mass vaccination site at the Summit County Fairgrounds. Officials said the vast majority of patients picked the one dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
"By far we have had more far more J & J uptake than Moderna," said Summit County Public Health Commissioner Donna Skoda.
Skoda said by late morning Saturday more than 400 people selected the J & J one-shot compared to 15 who picked the Moderna vaccine.
"So it's interesting that most of the individuals that have requested the Moderna have been men, which are at least risk," said Skoda.
This is the first mass vaccination site in Summit County since the pause of the vaccine was lifted.
"It's unfortunate and it's very heartbreaking that we had to learn with individuals having reactions. But now that we know it, we're quite capable of being able to monitor for it and we're able to educate those that want J & J so that they're able to take it," said Skoda.
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