Health officials on the Navajo Nation have paused the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
It follows recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to halt administering doses based on a very rare type of blood clot in a small number of people who received the vaccine.
Navajo officials say about 4,000 doses of the J&J vaccine had been administered on the reservation prior to the announcement and no major side effects have been reported. The J&J vaccine makes up about 1.5% of the shots given on the Navajo Nation and officials say halting its use will not have a major impact on the tribe’s vaccination plan.
The Arizona Department of Health Services and many county health departments in the state have also paused using the J&J vaccine.