An investigation by CDC scientists has linked J&J’s vaccine to 28 patients who developed a rare blood clot, three of whom died.
The patients that developed cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) ranged 18 to 59 years old, and the median age was 40. The age group with the highest risk was 30-39. Women were also a greater risk of getting a blood clot than men.
Among the 28 patients, 19 experienced the clot in the brain (in that group, 10 patients suffered a cerebral hemorrhage).
All of the patients took the J&J shot before the FDA and CDC halted its use on April 13. States were allowed to resume administering the vaccine 10 days later, but the shot now comes with an added warning about the potential risks.
Despite the link, the chances of developing a life-threatening blood clot because of the vaccine are still rare. So far, about 9 million J&J shots have been administered in the U.S.
