04/30/2021
An update on the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine.
We’re starting to offer the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine again at VA health facilities. We’ll provide this vaccine—along with the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines—to Veterans, spouses, caregivers, and CHAMPVA recipients who are at least 18 years old. Supply varies by facility.
How we made this decision
We continue to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
When a very small number of people who received the Janssen vaccine experienced rare but serious blood clots, CDC and FDA experts recommended a pause in providing this vaccine. They did this to give them time to study the issue. They then carefully reviewed these cases and all available data. Based on this review, they’re confident that this vaccine is safe for use and works well to prevent COVID-19.
The available data shows:
The vaccine’s benefits outweigh its risks
The chance of blood clots after getting this vaccine is very low
What this means for you
If you haven’t yet received a COVID-19 vaccine from VA, your local facility will contact you when they have one for you. If we offer you the Janssen vaccine, we’ll give you information about the potential risks and benefits. This includes the rare risk of blood clots. We’ll also tell you about your other vaccine options.
The primary goal of COVID-19 vaccines is to protect those we serve from COVID-19. And your safety—and the safety of all who receive a COVID-19 vaccine from VA—remains our priority.
Remember: VA text messages will always come from 53079. Emails will always come from a va.gov email address.
What you can do next
To learn about your VA health facility’s current plan, go to the facility’s website. Once you’re on the site, go to Health care services, then COVID-19 in the menu.
Find your nearest VA health facility that offers COVID-19 vaccines
If you have questions about this vaccine, contact your primary health care provider. If you get care through VA, you can send a secure message to your VA provider.
Send a secure message to your VA provider to ask about COVID-19 vaccines
Note: Please don’t come to a VA health facility to request a COVID-19 vaccine unless you have an appointment or received an invite to a vaccine clinic.
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