• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
HealthCOVID-19 vaccines

Everything we know about the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine pause (so far)

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 13, 2021, 12:58 PM ET

Tuesday’s surprise recommendation that health care providers pause the use of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine left a lot of people scrambling. While the one-and-done shot has not been as widespread, in terms of distribution, as those by Moderna and Pfizer, nearly 7 million people already have received it.

The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which issued the guidance, are just beginning their investigations into the reports of potentially dangerous blood clots that occurred in six women in the days after vaccination. Both say the action was taken “out of an abundance of caution,” but that doesn’t answer a lot of questions. Here’s what the agencies have to say about some specific concerns.

I got the J&J vaccine a month (or more) ago. Should I be worried?

Health officials say the risk is very low to people who had the J&J vaccine more than a month ago. Any issues with clotting likely would have presented by now.

I just got a J&J vaccine shot recently. What should I be on alert for?

Again, the odds of developing the clots are low. But CDC Principal Deputy Director Anne Schuchat is suggesting people look for symptoms including severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, and shortness of breath. If you develop these within three weeks of getting your J&J shot, contact your health care provider and seek treatment.

She notes, though, that the flu-like symptoms that occur after receiving the vaccine are not things to worry about.

How long will this pause last?

That’s not known precisely right now, but Janet Woodcock, acting FDA commissioner, says “we expect it to be a matter of days.” The CDC says it’s committing to an expeditious review of the available information and an aggressive outreach to physicians so they’ll know how to diagnose, treat, and report issues.

Does this mean I can’t get the J&J COVID vaccine at all now?

No, but it’s probably better to wait. The recommendation is not a mandate, says Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s center for biologics evaluation and research. “If an individual health care provider has talked with a patient and they determine that the benefit/risk for that patient is appropriate, we’re not going to stop that provider from administering the vaccine.”

That said, expect most mass vaccination sites and pharmacies to follow the advice of the FDA and CDC for now.

I was supposed to get vaccinated this week. What do I do now?

If you have an appointment this week to get the J&J shot, check with your health care provider. Some are already shifting people over to Pfizer or Moderna. Others will reschedule you for another day in the near future, when a Pfizer or Moderna shot is available.

Important: If you have an J&J appt at a NY State-run vax site today (e.g. Javits, Aqueduct), you should still go and you will be offered Pfizer instead.

— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) April 13, 2021

“This may be a bit bumpy,” Schuchat says. “But we do want to make sure people who are scheduled to get vaccinations will be able to get [one] when vaccines are available.”

Are the clots associated with the J&J vaccine fatal?

Of the six cases that have been reported so far, one was fatal and one patient is in critical condition, officials say.

Should I be worried about blood clots with the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine?

The FDA and CDC say there have been no reports of any clotting issues with the other two vaccines being distributed in the U.S. right now. And, to date, there have been over 180 million injections of those, which should allay fears of a similar reaction.

Why did the pause of J&J’s vaccine seemingly come with no warning?

Even the FDA admits this was a sudden action. It comes down to transparency and wanting to prevent possible additional cases.

“I wish we had more time to get everyone prepared and this could have gone even more smoothly,” Woodcock says. “As we learned about the issue…it was clear to us that we needed to alert the public…The decision was based on events that might occur between when we made that realization and when we got the word out.”

What about the European rollout of J&J’s vaccine?

Johnson & Johnson announced Tuesday that it would be proactively delaying the rollout of the vaccine in Europe and would review the cases with European health authorities.

About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

WHO declares latest Ebola outbreak a global health emergency. A rare variant of the disease with no approved treatments is to blame
HealthHealth
WHO declares latest Ebola outbreak a global health emergency. A rare variant of the disease with no approved treatments is to blame
By Chinedu Asadu and The Associated PressMay 17, 2026
5 hours ago
hoeg
HealthFDA
RFK ally confirms she was fired by FDA: ‘I learned so much and leave with no regrets’
By Matthew Perrone and The Associated PressMay 16, 2026
1 day ago
lawyer
CommentaryLaw
Would you hire the lawyer who just got sanctioned for using AI?
By Alexandra SmythMay 16, 2026
2 days ago
lori
Commentarymental health
I run Valvoline Instant Oil Change and work with young people every day. They’re in crisis—and we all have to try to help
By Lori FleesMay 15, 2026
2 days ago
Claude is telling users to go to sleep mid-session and nobody, including Anthropic, seems to fully understand why it keeps doing it
AITech
Claude is telling users to go to sleep mid-session and nobody, including Anthropic, seems to fully understand why it keeps doing it
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 14, 2026
3 days ago
Nonprofit CEOs say Trump’s economy is driving surging demand—and they’re pushed to the brink
Future of Workphilanthropy
Nonprofit CEOs say Trump’s economy is driving surging demand—and they’re pushed to the brink
By Sydney LakeMay 14, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
1 day ago
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
Politics
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
1 day ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
5 days ago
SpaceX heads into a record-shattering IPO with the 'deepest moat that exists today' as investors vow to 'never bet against Elon'
Innovation
SpaceX heads into a record-shattering IPO with the 'deepest moat that exists today' as investors vow to 'never bet against Elon'
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
1 day ago
Oil markets could be a month away from the moment of truth. Brace for a 'non-linear' price spike and panic buying, analysts warn
Energy
Oil markets could be a month away from the moment of truth. Brace for a 'non-linear' price spike and panic buying, analysts warn
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
1 day ago
'No one was coming to save me': How Reese Witherspoon built a $900 million company from a problem Hollywood wouldn't fix
Success
'No one was coming to save me': How Reese Witherspoon built a $900 million company from a problem Hollywood wouldn't fix
By Sydney LakeMay 17, 2026
12 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.