Dayton’s mayor got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Here’s what she says about the pause

Dayton Mayor, Nan Whaley watches Police Chief Richard Biehl before he announces his retirement on Tuesday April 13, 2021. JIM NOELKER\STAFF

Dayton Mayor, Nan Whaley watches Police Chief Richard Biehl before he announces his retirement on Tuesday April 13, 2021. JIM NOELKER\STAFF

Dayton’s Mayor Nan Whaley received a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in March and said she is still happy to have it despite a new pause on the vaccine’s use.

The mayor said the stoppage is in an overabundance of caution, and she believes everyone should still get vaccinated. She said she had no symptoms after getting the vaccine and was even able to go to work the next day.

“I feel completely fine and relieved and really glad that I got the Johnson & Johnson because it was one and done, and I hope it comes back,” she said. “You’re talking about millions of vaccines put out and I think six people – this is an incredible overabundance of caution.”

More than 264,300 Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been administered in Ohio.

Ohio advised vaccine providers to halt the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine Tuesday morning after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a similar recommendation due to six reports of women 18 to 48 years old developing a very rare and severe blood clot out of more than 6.8 million who have received the shot.

The complications occurred six to 13 days after vaccination.

The federal recommendation is expected to be short, Gov. Mike Dewine said. About 35% of Ohioans, or 4.16 million people, have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 inoculation.

Whaley said she understands the government wanting to investigate and said medicine and science have high expectations.

“I still feel great that I got Johnson & Johnson,” Whaley said.

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