A drastic reduction in shipments of Johnson and Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine won’t set back Virginia’s plans.
The state’s vaccine coordinator said Friday afternoon that the entire state will still move into Phase Two eligibility by April 18th. And everyone who wants vaccine should be able to get at least one dose by the end of May.
Doctor Danny Avula did say plans to vaccinate college students before they leave for the summer may be delayed. "This shortage does mean that some of the higher ed institutions that were planning to start vaccinating students next week will have to push that back by a week or so."
Avula said the state’s allocation of Johnson and Johnson vaccine was reduced by about 90% for the next couple of weeks after a manufacturing problem. He said shipments of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will remain steady.
In the Roanoke area, Dr. Cynthia Morrow echoed that statement Friday. "We’re planning to use Pfizer and Moderna and the supply of that is steady," Morrow told reporters. Morrow is the director of the Roanoke City-Alleghany Health District, which will get no doses of the J&J vaccine next week. The district expects about 9,000 doses of vaccine from the other manufacturers.
