OSWEGO COUNTY – The Oswego County Health Department cancelled a COVID-19 vaccination clinic that was scheduled at SUNY Oswego today “out of an abundance of caution” following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration on the use of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The federal agencies recommended a pause in the use of the Janssen/Johnson and Johnson vaccine while they study a possible link with a rare blood clot disorder among some vaccine recipients. The FDA said the blood clot disorder appears to be extremely rare. 

“We are following the lead of these federal health agencies and pausing use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine,” said Oswego County Senior Public Health Educator Diane Oldenburg. “We notified the college early this morning that today’s vaccination clinic – where the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was scheduled to be administered – is now cancelled.

“We will continue to administer the Moderna vaccine and have another clinic planned for this Saturday at the Fulton High School,” she added.

More than 400 second dose Moderna shots and over 400 Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccines were administered by the County Health Department at the Fulton High School last Saturday.

“So far, Oswego County has not been made aware of any cases of blood clots or other serious events like those that the CDC and FDA are investigating after the Health Department’s administration of the Janssen vaccine,” said Dr. Christina Liepke, Oswego County Medical Director. 

She added that some recipients may experience minor adverse reactions, such as lightheadedness or fainting after any vaccination. “For example, a person who fainted at a clinic last Saturday fully recovered shortly thereafter. That kind of reaction is not particular to the type of vaccine administered, but rather, is more related to other factors such as dehydration, anxiety, the temperature of the facility, and the age of the individual.”

Dr. Liepke recommends that recipients are well-hydrated when they arrive to have their COVID-19 vaccination. “They should also have eaten beforehand and be dressed in comfortable layers of clothing that can be removed if the recipient gets over-heated while waiting for the vaccine or follow-up evaluation,” she said.

The Oswego County Health Department will hold another vaccination clinic at G. Ray Bodley High School, 6 William Gillard Drive, Fulton on Saturday, April 17. First dose appointments for the Moderna vaccine will be available from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

The Moderna vaccine is a two-shot series approved for those 18 years of age and older. To sign up for this clinic, you must also be able to return for your second dose on Saturday, May 15.

Those interested in making an appointment can visit the County Health Department’s website at https://health.oswegocounty.com/ and click on the link for “Local Information About the COVID-19 Vaccination” or call the County’s COVID-19 Hotline at 315-349-3330 between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays.

Under New York State Public Health Law, the Oswego County Health Department is the local public health authority regarding the COVID-19 pandemic response within the County of Oswego. The Oswego County Health Department works closely with New York State Department of Health regarding COVID-19 monitoring, response, and reporting.