HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — We're learning more about the COVID-19 vaccine by the day. Some people have tested positive for COVID after being fully vaccinated. More recently, an extremely small number of people have formed rare reactions following their doses.
Vaccinations were halted because of six cases of blood clots out of nearly 7 million Johnson & Johnson doses were administered. Our WZDX News reporter has more insight from doctors.
Alabama Vaccine Research Clinic Director Dr. Paul Goepfert says the chances of having those side effects are very slim. "You have a better chance of dying in the car, in an accident in your car on the way to get vaccinated than you are to get this event. A much better chance," he says.
Here's what doctors say happen to the doses now that vaccinations are on pause:
"The J&J vaccine can be kept for prolonged periods of time for just refrigerated temperatures, so they'll just keep it until, and they all have expiration dates. If it happens to go beyond that, which I don't think it will, they'll have to throw it away," says Goepfert.
Doctors also remind us of the purpose of the vaccine. They say it's only been over a year since the pandemic and studies are still ongoing.
"So you can still get the disease, but you won't get the complications from it," says Dr. Shraddha Shrestha.
Health experts say they've already started receiving calls from patients who received their J&J dose. You're urged to call your doctor only when you have certain symptoms.
"If you do receive these vaccines, and within three weeks of receiving the vaccine if you have headache, if you have abdominal pain, your leg hurts, or you have trouble breathing, than definitely call your doctor," says Shrestha.