Onondaga County vaccine clinics will start using the Johnson & Johnson shot again, starting with a Friday clinic at Fabius Community Center. The county had suspended use of the single-dose vaccine as the FDA and CDC investigated the few cases of rare blood clots following vaccination. Health Commissioner Doctor Indu Gupta said the federal warning and pause should instill confidence, not raise concern.
"It means that if there are problems, they are going to continue to come back and will say that ‘Okay there’s a problem here. Let’s pause, and let’s try to assess.’ So if anything this should give more confidence in the people in the system. Not less,” said Gupta.
County Executive Ryan McMahon said he is considering holding town hall style events to address further questions about the vaccine. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be utilized at future pop-up clinics throughout the county.
Johnson & Johnson is only available to people ages 18 and older. All clinics held at local high schools will use the Pfizer vaccine, which is the only vaccine authorized for people ages 16 and 17. Clinics will be held across the county this week:
- Tuesday, April 27th: Fayetteville-Manlius High School, Cicero-North Syracuse High School
- Wednesday, April 28th: Jamesville-Dewitt High School (also serving Christian Brothers Academy, Manlius Pebble Hill, and Bishop Grimes), Syracuse ITC (also serving Corcoran, PSLA at Fowler, Nottingham, and Henninger)
- Thursday, April 29th: West Genesee High School (also serving West Hill, Solvay, Bishop Ludden, Syracuse Academy of Science, and OnTech Charter School), Marcellus High School (also serving Skaneateles and Jordan-Elbridge)
Additionally, there will be a Pfizer Clinic held at the OnCenter of Friday. Registration for that clinic is now open on thecounty website.
