When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended a pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in light of a few rare blood clot incidents, states reserved the right to choose whether or not to follow that advice.
Former state health director Will Humble says Arizona made the right choice to suspend its use. But Humble is concerned about the possible public health impact if the Johnson & Johnson vaccine were to be kept on hold long-term.
“In the absence of this vaccine there are many many many people out there that won’t get vaccinated, and so there’s a very real risk to public health by pulling the vaccine as well. Not just, you know, the extremely rare events that we know have occurred," Humble said.
He says the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine is also easier to distribute than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
Humble says as for those opposed to vaccinations, this pause will not help sway their opinion, but he thinks officials should focus on making the vaccine more convenient, not convincing this group.