ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Protection announced its endorsement of Pfizer and Moderna over the Johnson & Johnson, one-and-one COVID-19 shot.
The news came after the FDA released research that showed rare blood clots linked to the vaccine affected more people than initially stated.
The Rock Island County Health Department offers the J&J vaccine at its Tuesday clinics, along with Moderna vaccine.
"You know, only about 4% of people all across the country have gotten Johnson & Johnson. At the beginning, we always said, take whatever vaccine is available to you," Rock Island County Health Department COO and Public Information Officer Janet Hill said. "Sometimes that was Johnson and Johnson, and we were happy to give it, and people were happy to take it. Now, more people are choosing Pfizer and Moderna."
Hill said that the majority of those who visit the Tuesday clinics have already opted for the Moderna vaccine. Johnson & Johnson not only has more risks, but it is less effective than its sister shots.
"If you put that in context, back at the beginning, before vaccination even started, if someone said that we were going to have a vaccine that was 60- 65% effective, people would have been like, 'sign me up.' But then when the mRNA vaccines showed such fantastic protection, Johnson & Johnson kind of fell to the wayside," Hill said.
The health department expects that less of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will circulate as time goes on.
Until its supply runs out, Rock Island County will continue to provide it as an option but, also, recommend Pfizer and Moderna.