Reinstating Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine could help with hesitancy

One health district director says it could help get more shots in arms

DANVILLE, Va – Local health leaders say restarting the Johnson and Johnson vaccine again could help with vaccine hesitancy.

On Friday, U.S. health officials lifted an 11-day pause on COVID-19 vaccinations using Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose shot, after scientific advisers decided its benefits outweigh a rare risk of blood clot.

Health districts like Pittsylvania Danville and Southside have had issues with transportation and broadband issues when it comes to distributing the vaccine.

Its health district director says the pause on the J&J could be causing people to be more hesitant about getting vaccinated.

“The overall demand is lower, is lower because there’s no J&J, right now, to some degree, yes, people have become more selective about which vaccine, they want, and many of them want one and done,” Pittsylvania Danville Health District Director Dr. Scott Spillmann said.

Spillmann says the district will work with the Central VDH office to get the number of doses it would need to vaccinate people in the district


About the Author

Annie Schroeder joined the 10 News team as a reporter in June 2020 and is no stranger to Southwest Virginia.

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