More than 9 million jabs of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine are ready for inoculation if US health officials decide to resume circulation after a temporary halt was recommended amid rising concerns around the rare formation of blood clots in female recepients, according to US media reports.
The announcement comes as White House Senior Advisor for COVID Response Andy Slavitt said that two out three seniors in the US have been fully vaccinated as 3.37 million shots were administered on Friday.
Also Read: On J&J jab ‘rare clot’, EU health body makes a point, adds a note of caution
Reports from CNN, quoting White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeff Zients, said that the 9 million J&J doses have been kept ready for dispatching to US tribes, territories and states and await a verdict from the review committee, which meets on Friday.
Also Read: Italy declares Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine ‘safe’, to use it for people over 60
However, no concrete timeline has been laid out outlining the delivery of the J&J COVID-19 doses. Moreover, a joint approval will be required from the US Food and Drug Administration and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention before the vaccine can be injected back into the distribution network.
The US has approved three COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use so far. These include jabs produced by Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.