NEENAH, Wis. – ThedaCare remains committed to the safe, reliable and effective distribution of COVID-19 vaccines for the people living in Northeast and Central Wisconsin. The health and safety of patients, team members and the community, is our number one priority.
On April 13, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced their recommendation of pausing the use of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine. Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has also instructed vaccinators to stop administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The agencies are currently reviewing data involving six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. According to the organizations, in the reported cases, a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia). All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. The instances appear to be extremely rare.
Agencies report the recommended pause is to ensure health care providers are aware of the potential for these adverse events and can plan for proper recognition and care. We understand community members who have recently received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may have concerns. People who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider.
Out of an abundance of caution, ThedaCare will pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. There were two ThedaCare clinics scheduled this week to administer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, resulting in about 250 doses. Our teams are working with those community members and prioritizing to reschedule their vaccination appointment where they would receive the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.
Vaccine updates will be available on the ThedaCare Facebook page and COVID-19 website. For more information about COVID-19, vaccines, testing, online care options, an online symptom checker, community resources, prevention guidelines and other important news and updates, please visit thedacare.org/covid19.
About ThedaCare
For more than 110 years, ThedaCare® has been committed to improving the health of the communities it serves in northeast and central Wisconsin. The organization delivers care to more than 600,000 residents in 17 counties and employs approximately 7,000 health care professionals. ThedaCare has 180 points of care, including seven hospitals. As an organization committed to being a leader in Population Health, team members are dedicated to empowering people to live their best lives through easy access to individualized care, supporting each person’s own health and wellbeing. ThedaCare also partners with communities to understand unique needs, finding solutions together, and encouraging health awareness and action. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care
Network Member, giving specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a not-for-profit health system with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs, as well as primary care.
For more information, visit thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on social media. Members of the media should call Cassandra Wallace, Public and Media Relations Consultant at 920.442.0328 or the ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah switchboard at 920.729.3100 and ask for the marketing person on call.
