Dutchess County Commissioner of Behavioral & Community Health, Dr. Anil Vaidian has announced Dutchess County will resume vaccinations using Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine following the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recommendation to resume use of the J&J following a thorough safety review.

 “In accordance with CDC and FDA guidance, Dutchess County will resume administration of J&J vaccine,” said Dr. Vaidian. “This one-dose vaccine is an important option in our efforts to vaccinate and protect our community against COVID-19.”

 The FDA’s review of available data shows the known and potential benefits of the J&J vaccine outweigh the rare adverse risks. The FDA and CDC expressed confidence the J&J vaccine is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19.

Women younger than 50 years old should be aware of the very rare risk of adverse event called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), which involves blood clots with low platelets occurring at a rate of about 7 per 1 million vaccinated women between 18 and 49 years old. Other COVID-19 vaccine options are available for which this risk has not been seen. Anyone who received the J&J vaccine and develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination, should immediately contact their health care provider.

Dutchess County will resume use of J&J vaccine this week and will utilize J&J vaccine at various “Community Pop-Up Clinics” at locations throughout Dutchess County.

More information about where J&J vaccine will be available will be posted on the County’s website as clinics are scheduled.

To visit the County’s website, click here