Despite Johnson & Johnson supply limitation, State emergency management not expecting impact

Jacksonville, FL. — Just as more people were warming up to the idea of getting just one-dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, the supply is expected to drop by 86% percent this week according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you take a look at the data here, you’ll see 700,000 doses of J&J will be sent out this week, in comparison to 4.9 million doses the week of April 5th and 1.9 million doses the week of March 29th.

Action News Jax Courtney Cole reached out to state and federal leadership to learn how this could affect your opportunity to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, locally.

“I feel good! I feel real good!” exclaimed David Wiggins.

Wiggins got his Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 shot today at the Gateway Mall vaccine site.

“I’m very happy I got that shot out of the way, I don’t have to worry about it,” Wiggins told Action News Jax Courtney Cole.

According to the latest data from the Department of Health’s COVID-19 vaccine summary 176,977 people in Duval County are fully immunized. That means they’ve received one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

That comes out to about 18% of the population already vaccinated in Jacksonville.

“I didn’t want to get at first, but you know what? I’m really glad now that I went ahead on with it, with some persuasion from my pastor and his wife,” Thomas Hornby, Jr. told Action News Jax.

He received is second dose of the Pfizer vaccine today at Gateway Mall.

Supply of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be limited until the FDA can figure out if millions of doses from a Baltimore plant, are contaminated.

However, there are other reports that claim the supply reduction is due to a huge increase in demand for the one-and-done vaccine.

Either way, this issue has some people concerned about if this issue could affect access to the vaccine in Jacksonville.

Right now, the federally-run Gateway Mall vaccine site is administering J&J and Pfizer, but second doses only. The city typically does two pop-up J&J locations each day.

Cole reached out to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Florida Division of Emergency Management. According to Samantha Bequer, the Florida Department of Emergency Management Press Secretary, “At this time, the state does not expect that this decreased allocation will impact any state vaccination efforts. The state primarily uses the one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine at the federally-supported vaccination sites and at the one-day mobile vaccination clinics. The state is prepared to continue these efforts, even with the smaller allocation for this week.”

The Florida Division of Emergency Management also explained J&J vaccine doses have been allocated to pharmacies, hospitals and other medical offices. Bequer said they may see a decrease in allocation but they are prepared to supply them with Pfizer or Moderna, if requested.

“I just thank God I made up my mind to go ahead and get it,” Hornby, Jr. Said.

“Everybody needs to come out and get the shots, even the kids!” Wiggins told Action News Jax enthusiastically.

According to remarks from Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt at the White House – Johnson & Johnson remains confident they will be able to deliver at-or-near 24 million doses this month.

Cox Media Group