J&J vaccinations resume at Gateway Mall site after pause lifted

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The federally-supported COVID-19 vaccination site at Gateway Mall on Sunday resumed the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

On Friday, U.S. health officials lifted an 11-day pause on COVID-19 vaccinations using J&J’s single-dose shot after scientific advisers decided its benefits outweigh a rare risk of blood clot.

The government uncovered 15 vaccine recipients who developed a highly unusual kind of blood clot out of nearly 8 million people given the J&J shot. All were women, most under age 50. Three died, and seven remain hospitalized.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management announced Saturday night that the Gateway Mall site on Norwood Avenue -- along with the state’s three other federally-supported vaccination sites in Miami, Orlando and Tampa -- resumed J&J shots at 7 a.m. Sunday. Each site will have the capacity to administer 3,000 doses of the J&J per day.

If you already received your first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a federally-supported site, you’ll be able to return for your second dose at the same site.

State officials said Sunday that the Gateway Mall site, which is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, was providing J&J shots and first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

“So today and probably for a limited amount of days in the near future, we can offer first and second doses of Pfizer as well as Johnson & Johnson,” state Division of Emergency Management spokesperson Mark Brady told News4Jax on Sunday.

Before J&J vaccinations resumed Sunday at the federally-supported sites in the state, the state Division of Emergency Management shared an updated COVID-19 consent screening form, which includes new language in the immunization screening guidance section to comply with recently issued guidance. The form will available at the sites. Brady said one of the boxes added to the form asks if you’re a woman between the ages of 18 and 49.

Brady said staff will be available if you have any questions.

“We have medics from the U.S. Navy who are here as well as registered nurses that are on hand and can provide advice end guidance to anyone coming in,” Brady said.

Later on Sunday, workers at the Gateway Mall site told News4Jax that a lot of people showed up to get the J&J vaccine.

“It’s one and done, so I wouldn’t have to come out here a second time,” said Barouti Katembo. “I didn’t have any more fears about the Johnson and Johnson.”

“It was my top pick, and they took it off with the blood clotting issue,” said Kelli Herrin. “So when I saw it coming back, I was excited because I’m going on a trip.”

At this time, according to state officials, it is unclear when mobile vaccination events will begin using J&J shots. In the meantime, mobile sites will administer shots of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, both of which require two doses. A mobile vaccination event held Sunday at Faith United Methodist Church offered up to 200 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.