SAN ANTONIO — WellMed will resume administering the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine beginning April 26 at two San Antonio community vaccination sites.
The appointments for the single dose vaccine can be made online or through a toll-free vaccination hotline, according to a press release.
The press release also said reservations are available for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the Cisneros Center. Based on the availability, walk-in appointments will be available.
On April 13, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommended a pause on the distribution of the J&J vaccines due to a possible link in adverse side effects seen in some individuals.
The following is a press release from WellMed:
WellMed will resume administering the single-dose Johnson & Johnson/Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine beginning Wednesday, April 28, at two San Antonio community vaccination sites.
Appointments can be made online and through a toll-free telephone vaccination hotline at the Alicia Trevino Lopez Senior One-Stop Center (8353 Culebra) or the Elvira Cisneros Senior Community Center (517 SW Military).
Reservations also are available for the two-dose Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the Cisneros Center. Walk-in patients will be accepted, based on vaccine availability.
Anyone age 18 and older is eligible to receive the J&J or Moderna vaccine. There is no cost to be vaccinated, and health insurance is not required.
On April 13, 2021, out of an abundance of caution, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a joint statement recommending a pause in the use of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine at federal sites and encouraged states to follow this guidance as well. WellMed joined other health care providers in following that guidance. The health care company has 1,945 J&J doses available in San Antonio.
The recommendation was in response to six cases of thrombosis and low platelet counts reported by six patients within the two weeks after receiving the J&J vaccine. Following a thorough safety review, the two agencies announced on Friday, April 23, 2021, that they have determined the following:
- Use of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine should be resumed in the United States.
- The FDA and CDC have confidence that this vaccine is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19.
- The FDA has determined that the available data show that the vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks in individuals 18 years of age and older.
- At this time, the available data suggest that the chance of thrombosis-thrombocytopenia (TTS) syndrome occurring is very low, but the FDA and CDC will remain vigilant in continuing to investigate this risk.
Vaccine recipients or caregivers should review the Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers. The document now includes information about the risk of TTS syndrome, which has occurred in a very small number of people who received the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.
WellMed, a leading primary care and multi-specialty provider headquartered in the Alamo City, has vaccinated more than 175,000 people at local community vaccination clinics since Jan. 11. WellMed runs these public vaccination hubs in partnership with the City of San Antonio.
To get an appointment for the J&J or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, call the toll-free vaccination hotline at 833-968-1745. The line is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.
You may also register online at these sites:
Cisneros Center for single-dose J&J (517 SW Military)
Lopez Center for single-dose J&J (8353 Culebra)
Cisneros Center for Moderna (517 SW Military)
These links also are at www.WellMedHealthcare.com/vaccine.