DETROIT – Advisors to the CDC met on Thursday to discuss the risk of a rare but serious side effect thought to be linked to the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine.
They also considered whether certain groups might benefit from a booster dose of any vaccine. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is a collection of outside independent experts in a wide range of specialties including vaccines, immunology, pediatrics and infectious disease.
The concern is regarding a disorder called Guillain-Barré syndrome, in which the body’s own immune system attacks and damages nerve cells. It can result in muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.
Guillain-Barré syndrome has been added to the list of potential complications for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. There have been 100 reported cases among the 12.8 million people who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Ninety-five patients were hospitalized, there was one death 7in a 57-year-old man with a history of heart failure, stroke and diabetes.
The panel agreed the benefits of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine continue to outweigh the risks, but stressed that patients need to be made aware of those risks and the availability of other vaccines. Guillain-Barré syndrome has not been found to be a risk with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
Read: Continuous coronavirus coverage