A News & Observer story reports on the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services decision to temporarily halt use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at the urging of the federal government.
David Wohl, MD, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases says the discovery of six people with serious side effects out of 7 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine administered so far should be reassuring.
“The events of the last day really reflect the vigilance that we have in our system,” said Wohl in the News & Observer article. “We have a safety net for reasons. There’s scrutiny and monitoring for adverse events. And the system is working for us.”
The QuéPasa Media Network also published a local report about the temporary suspension of the J&J vaccine, and Wohl contributed the same message. Read the article.
A Fortune health report recognized that the J&J vaccine pause was warranted, despite incredibly low blood clot risks. Wohl was quoted pointing to the CDC and FDA pause as proof that regulatory oversight is working even as COVID-19 vaccines receive emergency use authorization.
“That we were able to see our federal colleagues, recognize this, respond really quickly and make a call to action, I think, does provide reassurance to those who think that the system may not be as rigorous as it should be,” said Wohl, from a recent press conference. Read the article.
Wohl also participated in a UNC Health Media Briefing on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine pause. Watch the video press conference.