Department Of Health: Pause On Johnson & Johnson Vaccinations In Pennsylvania, FDA/CDC Announcement Highlights Vaccine Evaluation Process Is Working

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today notified all COVID-19 vaccine providers to pause administering doses of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine until at least April 20 following the recommendation out of an abundance of caution in a joint release from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The department is taking these steps as a precaution until the CDC and FDA have time to review six incidents of rare blood clots that occurred within two weeks of receiving Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine. The CDC is convening an emergency meeting tomorrow of the Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices to further review cases for any details on the significance of this rare occurrence.

Gov. Wolf and COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force Announce that All Adults in Pennsylvania are Eligible Tomorrow to Schedule COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments

Governor Tom Wolf and the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force announced that effective tomorrow, Tuesday, April 13, all Pennsylvania adults will be eligible to schedule an appointment for the COVID -19 vaccine.

“We need to maintain acceleration of the vaccine rollout, especially as case counts and hospitalization rates have increased,” Gov. Wolf said. “Therefore, just as President Biden has brought forward universal adult access to vaccines from May 1 to April 19, we are moving Pennsylvania’s timeline of universal adult access to April 13.”

Department Of Health: Over 6.2 Million Vaccinations To Date, First Doses Of Vaccine To 36% Of Population, PA Ranks 20th Among 50 States For First Dose Vaccinations

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 10, there were 4,882 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,068,974.

There are 2,439 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 496 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.

Department Of Health: Cancel Duplicate Appointments To Help Ensure Vaccine Is Available For All

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Health Acting Secretary Alison Beam today urged all Pennsylvanians to remember to both attend a scheduled COVID-19 vaccine appointment and cancel any unneeded appointments so that all vaccine doses get into the arms of people. 

“All three available vaccines are safe and effective, and we need folks to get the first available vaccine,” Acting Secretary Beam said. “If you have scheduled appointments at numerous places as part of your attempt to get vaccinated, please remember to call those other locations and cancel the remaining appointments. You can let them know that you have been vaccinated.