"Hi everyone, it's Dr. Stephanie Camaglia Reznick. I'm a board certified internist and one of the medical directors for Virtual Primary Care here at Oscar.
You might've heard on the news that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended (opens in new tab) that the U.S. pause giving the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccination. I want to take some time now to tell you more about it.
What we know
Six women between the ages of 18 and 48 years old developed a certain type of blood clot six to thirteen days after they received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. This type of blood clot is called a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) and it happens in some of the veins around your brain. It is very rare and very serious.
That said, keep in mind that over 6.8 million people have received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine in the United States. So, currently the risk of developing this kind of clot is less than 0.001%.
All that said, we'd rather be safe than sorry. Experts are recommending that anyone who has had the vaccine — specifically the Johnson and Johnson one as this does not affect people who have the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine — monitor for symptoms or anything unusual in three weeks following receiving the vaccination.
Signs and symptoms to look for
In regards to a CVST, the specific symptoms include:
A new headache with, or without nausea and vomiting,
Blurry vision
Weakness or unusual neurologic symptoms affecting one part of your body in the same way that one might see a neurologic symptom from a stroke
Loss of consciousness either temporarily or prolonged as in a coma
Seizures
Unusual abdominal pain
If you develop any of these symptoms, go to the emergency room immediately to be assessed.
I also want to touch base a bit on the types of blood clots that we've seen with the AstraZeneca vaccine. The AstraZeneca vaccine, which was given in Europe, but has not been given in the United States, was also known to rarely cause blood clots. These types of blood clots, however, were slightly different than the ones we are seeing from Johnson and Johnson. In Europe, they saw blood clots in the legs or a DVT or deep vein thrombosis or in the lung or a pulmonary embolism.
Symptoms of these types of blood clots include:
Leg swelling affecting one leg
Pain in the calf
Increased redness or warmth in the affected leg
If the blood clot is in your lungs, you may experience shortness of breath, chest pain, or a cough.
The takeaway
I know when we hear about these side effects, it can be very scary, but again, I want to emphasize that these risks are very, very rare. You're actually more likely to be struck by lightning in the next year than to develop a blood clot after getting the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
I also see it as good news because it shows us that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are taking vaccine safety very seriously and picking up even on low numbers of bad effects and taking the time to evaluate it to make sure it's safe to continue with the vaccine.
Also remember that the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are not part of this pause.
Overall, the risks and benefits of getting a vaccine largely favor getting the vaccine. In other words, you're much more likely to develop COVID-19 and have a severe complication than you are to get a severe complication from the vaccine."
Updated April 14, 2021
*Virtual providers like Dr. Reznick are employed by Oscar Medical Group and are not employed by Oscar Health, Inc.
This content does not constitute medical advice and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, including diagnosis or treatment. Contact your physician with any questions you may have regarding COVID-19 or your personal health. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, dial 911 for immediate assistance.
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