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You were supposed to get a COVID-19 vaccine from J& J Now what

Health officials are scrambling to reschedule appointments

NurPhoto/Getty Images The pause on distributing Johnson & Johnson's vaccine, announced Tuesday following reports of , throws a wrench into plans of hundreds of thousands of Americans who were scheduled to be inoculated with the one-dose shot. State and local health departments scrambled to pull the J&J vaccine from distribution in the hours following the announcement, issued jointly on Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State and local officials got little if any notice that the guidance was coming, and even White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeff Zients said he was only made aware of it hours before it went public. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. "I wish that we had more time to get everyone prepared and that this could go even more smoothly,” acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock told reporters, describing the blood clots she and her colleagues are investigating as “extremely rare” but worthy of a closer inspection “out of an abundance of caution." If you were already scheduled to get a J&J vaccine, you'll likely need to reschedule and prepare to receive one of the authorized for use in the U.S from Pfizer or Moderna. The FDA and CDC say they won't stop health care professionals from administering a J&J vaccine to a patient after talking through the risks and unknowns. But many state and local health departments have for now effectively withdrawn J&J's vaccine from circulation. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Flowers & Gifts 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items See more Flowers & Gifts offers > But in many other states, you'll need to reschedule if you were on the books for a J&J shot — and it may take a few days until you're able to finalize an appointment. Federal officials say they have directed state and local health departments to reach out to those affected. But some health departments say it's too soon to tell exactly how they'll be impacted, because they don't know how long the J&J “pause” will last. A press release from officials in Arlington County, Virginia, suggested more appointments may need to be rescheduled in the coming days “depending on whether the county receives additional doses of other vaccines or learns more about the status of the J&J vaccine." AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. to schedule a new appointment for a Moderna vaccine, if supply is available in their area. The J&J vaccine's suspension is the latest logistical hurdle for a U.S. vaccination effort that started slowly but had ramped up in March and early April. In recent days, the U.S. has been vaccinating more than 3 million people a day. But appointments are still difficult to schedule in many areas, even as most states have expanded eligibility to all people age 16 and older. The White House says the U.S. should have enough Pfizer and Moderna shots to make up for the J&J pause. Anthony Fauci, the president's chief medical advisor, was noncommittal when asked whether he expected a resumption to the J&J vaccine's distribution. “Often, when you see things like this, you pause and come back,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “Whether or not that happens right now, I can't guarantee it." Andrew Soergel joined AARP as a writer in 2020. He was previously a senior economics writer at U.S. News & World Report. Awarded the 2018–19 Economics of Aging and Work fellowship through the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, Soergel was also selected as a 2017 aging-issues fellow by the National Press Foundation. More on health AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS