U.S. regulators on Thursday strictly limited who can receive Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine due to a rare but serious risk of blood clots.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that dose should only be given to adults who can’t get a different vaccine or who specifically request J&J’s.
For months, US authorities have recommended that those starting their COVID-19 vaccination protocol use the Pfizer or Moderna doses.
FDA officials said in a statement that they decided to restrict J&J’s vaccine after revisiting data on the risk of life-threatening blood clots within two weeks of receiving the vaccine.
This decision is the latest restriction affecting J&J’s one-dose vaccine, which has long been overshadowed by the two more effective shots from Pfizer and Moderna.
The US exceeds one million deaths from COVID-19, according to the latest data compiled by NBC News.
In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended prioritizing vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer over those from J&J due to their safety concerns.
Previously, US officials had treated the three vaccines similarly because each had been shown to offer strong protection.
But follow-up studies have consistently shown less efficacy for the J&J vaccine. And while the blood clots seen with this vaccine are rare, authorities say they still do occur.
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