Will County Health Department to Follow CDC and FDA Guidelines and Pause Use of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

The Will County Health Department has announced that they will be following federal and state health agencies recommendation to immediately pause the use of Johnson & Johnson single dose coronavirus vaccine.

“Will County is following the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Illinois Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) recommendation to stop distributing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine,” said Sue Olenek, Executive Director of the Will County Health Department.

99.5% of the 351,992 vaccines that have been distributed by the Will County Health Department have been the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine accounts for less than 1 percent.

“All of the Will County Health Department’s public vaccine clinics have and will continue to use Pfizer and Moderna vaccines,” said Olenek. “The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was used on a limited basis over the past two months, and not distributed at our public clinics.”

To date, the Health Department has not received any news of recipients having adverse effects from the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Will County.

“If anyone has concerns about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, they should contact their primary care provider directly,” Olenek said.

The limited number of people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will receive communication from the Will County Health Department informing them of the CDC’s recommendation, and directing them to follow CDC guidelines to contact their primary care physician with concerns.

The County Health Department continues to vaccinate nearly 4,000 individuals per day, with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines at their five clinics located in Joliet, Wilmington and Monee.

All residents 16 and over are eligible to receive the vaccine and are encouraged to schedule online at willcountyhealth.org.