Statement Regarding Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 Vaccine

In accordance with guidance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Virginia Department of Health (VDH), Inova has paused administration of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine at our Inova Primary Care locations as we await further guidance from the FDA and VDH.

According to the FDA, adverse side effects from this vaccine are very rare. If you received the J&J vaccine, there is nothing you need to do at this time. People who have received the J&J vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider.

The Inova Stonebridge Vaccination Center, the Inova Vaccine Center at the Inova Center for Personalized Health, and team member vaccine sites have always administered the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and will continue to do so. If you are scheduled to receive the J&J vaccine from an Inova Primary Care clinic, we will contact you to cancel that appointment and reschedule you to receive the Moderna vaccine.

This is a fluid situation and we expect more information to come from the FDA in the coming days. Inova’s Research Committee will continue to monitor and review any new guidance from the FDA and VDH and update our position accordingly.

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