Ventura County officials stop Johnson & Johnson vaccines, await guidance

Ventura County officials halted the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine early Tuesday, saying they'll wait for federal guidance on what to do next.

"It may be a stoppage. It may be a pause," Robert Levin, the county's health officer, said at a Board of Supervisors meeting later Tuesday.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration recommended the Johnson & Johnson vaccinations be suspended while they investigate the cases of six women nationwide who developed rare blood clots 6 to 13 days after being vaccinated. State public health officials also directed healthcare providers to halt the shots "out of an abundance of caution."

Approved for emergency use in late February, the vaccine was used far less than Moderna and Pfizer shots in Ventura County. Of the 521,324 total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered locally, 13,685 were Johnson & Johnson.

Mobile vaccination teams administered the single-dose shot to farmworkers, homebound residents and others. Two large vaccination centers in Oxnard also used Johnson & Johnson.

The mobile teams are now using Pfizer-BioNTech. The Oxnard site on Rose Avenue is also using Pfizer and the other Oxnard site is using Moderna.

Levin called the Johnson & Johnson complications tragic but noted they have been found in only 6 of the nearly 7 million people nationwide who have received the shots.

"We have seen no reported cases of this in our county," he said.

Health officials said people should seek medical attention if they experience constant and severe headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks of receiving the vaccine.

"These symptoms are different than the mild flu-like symptoms, fever, and so forth, that many people have experienced in the couple of days after they have received the vaccine," said Anne Schuchat of the CDC.

She said the risk of developing symptoms now is low in people who have been vaccinated four or more weeks ago.

There have been no reports of blood clots from those who received Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and people who have appointments to receive these shots should keep them, CDC officials said Tuesday.

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At Tuesday's supervisors' meeting, Barry Zimmerman, who heads Ventura County's vaccine task force, said the Johnson & Johnson stoppage will further reduce the county's overall COVID-19 vaccine supplies. Stocks of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had already fallen 85% this month as part of an anticipated nationwide decrease. He said the county's total vaccine supply could remain below normal throughout April and that a rise in shipments is possible in May.

Zimmerman also said the county is currently receiving far more Pfizer vaccine than Moderna, a reversal of earlier trends, resulting in the Moderna shots being reserved for only second doses. Delivery of 2,500 additional Moderna doses is expected next week. 

Ventura County plans to open an additional vaccination site at College Park in south Oxnard this weekend and another site at the Simi Valley Town Center in May.

Ventura County Public Health Director Rigoberto Vargas told supervisors COVID metrics continue to improve.

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State data released Tuesday showed the county had an adjusted rate of about 2.8 cases of the virus a day per 100,000 people for the week ending April 3. A week earlier, the rate was 3.9 cases a day.

Rates are adjusted depending on how many COVID-19 tests are conducted in a county.

Hospitalizations and deaths have also decreased, said Vargas, expressing optimism the county will soon be able to move into the least restrictive tier — yellow — in California's reopening formula.

He also pointed at the 115 cases of the virus reported in the county Monday covering three days.

"We're not over this epidemic," Vargas said. "It’s still in the community. It is still being transmitted."

New guidelines take effect April 15, allowing for outdoor social gatherings for as many as 50 people in orange-tier counties like Ventura, Vargas said.

Private events, including conferences and receptions, can hold outdoor meetings for as many as 300 people if the guests are tested or show proof of vaccination. Indoor events can accommodate up to 150 people if they've been vaccinated or tested.

Indoor live events with up to 35% capacity are also allowed as of April 15, provided all guests are tested or vaccinated.  

USA Today contributed to this report.

Tom Kisken covers health care and other news for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tom.kisken@vcstar.com or 805-437-0255.

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