Supply Of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine To Be Limited In Coming Weeks – NBC Connecticut

The state will receive a much lower number of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines next week after the company reported production problems, and the supply issue could affect clinics.

The state Department of Public Health warned in Tuesday's COVID Vaccine Provider Bulletin that for the week of April 12 the state's allocation is only 6,400 doses. In comparison, last week's allocation was 53,900. DPH also warned that future allocations could be even lower.

Though the state will try to work with providers to find alternative options, clinics that require Johnson & Johnson may be delayed.

Last week, Johnson & Johnson had to discard a batch of vaccines after a key ingredient didn't meet quality control standards at a Baltimore facility. While that issue did not affect any shipments that came to Connecticut, it has delayed an anticipated increase in the supply of the company's vaccine.

COVID-19 Vaccination in Your State and County

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports daily numbers on the percent of people fully vaccinated based on a person's county of residence.

State and local leaders have said the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a key part of their strategy in reaching vulnerable populations because it takes only one shot to complete a vaccination. The city of Hartford is using it at walk-up clinics specifically targeting residents who may have barriers to accessing a vaccine otherwise, and it is also being used strategically in some mobile clinics.

A spokesman for Gov. Ned Lamont released the following statement:

"While the recent events at the J&J manufacturing plant have not affected any shipments that have already come into Connecticut and none of the J&J product currently in the state is compromised in any way, our J&J allocation for next week will be significantly lower than in past weeks. Last week, our State allocation was 53,900 doses. Next week, our allocation will be just 6,400 doses of J&J, and we have been told to anticipate that future weeks could be even lower before supply levels rebound. We are working with our providers to avoid disruption, and we believe that disruptions will be minimal."

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Supply Of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine To Be Limited In Coming Weeks - NBC Connecticut