Riverside County Pauses Johnson and Johnson Vaccine

CDC issues guidance after reports of rare adverse reactions to Johnson & Johnson vaccines

Riverside County has temporarily placed a "pause" on the administration of Johnson and Johnson vaccines at its clinics, following a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Riverside County health officials said there have been no reports of the rare, severe illness like those described in the CDC guidance among the 19,424 doses of Johnson and Johnson that have been administered in the county. There are no warnings of similar issues with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine that is also available for use.

“We are taking this step because the health and safety of our residents is our No. 1 priority,” said Dr. Geoffrey Leung, public health officer for Riverside County. “Although we have not seen any reactions like those described by the CDC, it is critical the public have the confidence of the safety of vaccines that we offer.”

The county operates public health clinics at four permanent locations and runs eight mobile teams that temporarily offer vaccines at various locations. The clinic at Alessandro High School in Hemet was set to open today (April 13) with Johnson and Johnson, but officials will be offering Pfizer to the 285 people who had appointments and giving them the option to switch. The three mobile team clinics in Hemet, Mead Valley and Lakeland Village scheduled for today will be canceled. About 400 people total were scheduled at the mobile clinics.