In a statementTrusted Source released to the press today — April 13, 2021 — a spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and another for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the two federal agencies now recommend halting the administration of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine.

The spokespeople cited reports of six blood clotting cases that followed the administration of this vaccine, all of which occurred in adult women. They said that the CDC and FDA cannot support the vaccine’s continued rollout until a more in-depth investigation takes place.

Dr. Peter English, a retired consultant in communicable disease control, has commented on this decision, calling it “a highly precautionary move.”

“The alert related to the AstraZeneca vaccine, where a similar association is considered possible, will have raised awareness of a possible association with other vaccines,” Dr. English said.

“Nevertheless,” he added, “the fact that such a small possible risk has been identified is very reassuring — it shows that pharmacovigilance systems are working.”