Some Vermont pharmacies could resume use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine against COVID-19 as early as Monday, but state clinics for the single-shot vaccine are due to begin on Tuesday, officials said.
As of Monday morning, a drive-up clinic scheduled for Tuesday in Barton had more than 250 available appointments, said Bennett Truman, spokesperson for the Health Department.
The state announced over the weekend that the vaccinations would start up again after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized its use despite a rare risk of blood clots. The experts said the vaccine’s benefits outweigh that serious but small risk.
On Saturday, Vermont began making appointments for clinics that will administer the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Clinics using the other, multi-shot vaccines, from Pfizer and Moderna, have been taking place as usual.
The most recent statistics from the health department show that almost 56% of Vermonters over age 16 have received at least one dose of the vaccine while 38% are fully vaccinated.
