ETSU Health cancels Johnson and Johnson Janssen vaccine clinic set for April 13

JOHNSON CITY – Following federal guidance released from the FDA and the CDC this morning, ETSU Health is canceling its Johnson & Johnson Janssen COVID-19 vaccine clinic scheduled for Tuesday, April 13, 2021.

All patients who had appointments today will be notified via text messaging and are encouraged to schedule vaccines at alternative vaccine sites that are offering either the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines.

To learn where you can receive a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, go to www.vaccinefinder.org. To schedule an appointment to receive a Pfizer vaccine from Ballad, go to https://www.balladhealth.org/medical-services/infectious-disease#schedule. Ballad currently has sites in Elizabethton, Kingsport, and Abingdon. To learn what vaccines are available from your local health department and to schedule an appointment, go to https://vaccinate.tn.gov.

 “We encourage all of our patients who were scheduled to get the vaccine with us to find an alternate location, as ETSU Health is currently awaiting further findings from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP),” said Dr. Leigh Johnson, director of ETSU Health’s COVID-19 response.

According to a statement from the FDA, while adverse events to the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine have been rare, the ACIP will meet on Wednesday, April 14 to further review the cases and their potential significance. The FDA also advises that patients who have received the J&J vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider.

For additional updates as they become available, please visit ETSUHealth.org.