April 23, 2021

 Dear COVID-19 Vaccine Providers:

 Late Friday afternoon, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine again be used in people 18 years old and older. The CDC and FDA agreed with that recommendation, lifting the pause on the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine that was put in place on April 13.

ACIP and the federal agencies determined that the known and potential benefits of the J&J vaccine outweigh the known and potential risks of a rare syndrome of blood clots in conjunction with low platelet counts. Most cases occurred in women between the ages of 18 and 49 years.

In line with the federal recommendation, DSHS is asking all providers with the J&J vaccine on hand to resume administering it after reviewing the provider fact sheet linked below and providing vaccine recipients with the updated fact sheet for recipients and caregivers.

Please also inform recipients that they should seek medical attention if they experience a severe headache, severe abdominal pain, unusual leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks of vaccination.

As a reminder, providers should report adverse reactions to any vaccine through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System at vaers.hhs.gov.

• Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine EUA Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers (fda.gov)
• Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine EUA Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers (fda.gov)
• Janssen Letter Granting EUA Amendment (April 23, 2021) (fda.gov)

Texas Department of State Health Services