The University of Toledo will host a series of walk-in vaccine clinics to distribute the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine over the next two weeks, providing faculty, staff and students an opportunity to get vaccinated on campus before the end of the semester.
The University’s first walk-in clinic will be held today, Tuesday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Main Campus Pharmacy.
No appointment is needed and there will be no out-of-pocket expenses, though individuals are asked to bring their insurance card, if possible. The Main Campus Pharmacy is located in the University Health Center on West Rocket Drive, across from Horton International House
Additional walk-in clinics will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Main Campus Pharmacy on the following dates:
• Thursday, April 29
• Friday, April 30
• Monday, May 3
• Wednesday, May 5
• Friday, May 7
The walk-in clinics will distribute the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
A major benefit of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for students is that it does not require a second shot, allowing them to receive the full dose before returning home at the end of the semester on May 7.
Healthcare providers in Ohio were given the green light to resume distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine last week, following an 11-day pause by federal health agencies in order to investigate links to a rare but potentially dangerous blood clotting disorder. Out of 8 million Johnson & Johnson doses administered in the U.S., reviewers identified 15 cases of the blood clotting disorder.
On Friday, a joint advisory panel from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved resuming distribution of the vaccine, with a new warning label that notes the potential risk of blood clots.
M’yan Hudson, a criminal justice junior, receives her COVID-19 vaccine at a previous on-campus vaccination clinic. UToledo will host a series of walk-in vaccine clinics over the next two weeks.
Dr. Michael Ellis, an infectious disease specialist chief and medical officer at The University of Toledo Medical Center, said the response from federal health officials shows how seriously they are taking vaccine safety concerns.
“We should be reassured that the FDA and CDC are actively assessing the safety of COVID vaccines,” Ellis said. “The pause for the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine allowed them to review safety data and subsequently recommend that distribution of this vaccine resume. Their determination was that the benefits of continuing this vaccine outweigh the potential risks.”
There have been no reports of blood clotting disorders linked to the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, Ellis said.
Ellis said vaccination remains the path out of the pandemic and people should not be discouraged against vaccination because of the Johnson & Johnson pause.
Individuals also can visit the state’s vaccine scheduling portal to make an appointment at one of the community’s vaccination sites.
