J&J vaccine to remain in limbo while U.S. health officials seek more data on rare blood clots

WASHINGTON, DC — Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine will remain in limbo a while longer.

That word comes after U.S. health advisers told the government Wednesday that they need more evidence to decide if a handful of unusual blood clots were linked to the shot – and if so, how big the potential risk really is.

The reports are exceedingly rare – six cases out of more than 7 million U.S. inoculations with the one-dose vaccine.

But the government recommended a pause in J&J vaccinations this week, not long after European regulators declared that such clots are a rare but possible risk with the AstraZeneca vaccine.