US health agencies urge pause in J&J vaccine rollout amid blood clot reports

(Update 3: Adds detail fatality)

Washington, Apr 13 (EFE).- United States health authorities on Tuesday recommended a pause in the use of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine following reports of rare blood clots.

The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a joint statement on social media that they were reviewing reports of six cases of “rare and severe” blood clots in people who had received the vaccine in the US.

One of the patients who suffered a blood clot later died, while another remains in a serious condition, the FDA and the CDC said in a press conference.

Peter Marks, the director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the FDA said all cases involved cerebral blood clots.

Some 6.8 million doses of the J&J shot had been administered in the US as of 12 April.

“We are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution,” the departments said in a tweet earlier on Tuesday.

“Right now, these adverse events appear to be extremely rare,” the statement continued.

The CDC is to convene a meeting of its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on Wednesday to discuss the cases.

The FDA and the CDC said the halt was necessary in order to keep health professionals up to date with the potential “adverse” effects of the vaccine.