TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — People hoping to get the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine at CVS Pharmacy will have to settle for a two-dose vaccine or go somewhere else.
CNBC reports CVS Health stopped offering the J&J vaccine at its pharmacies, but customers can still get it at one of the company’s 1,000 MinuteClinic locations.
The other two authorized COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer are still available at CVS stores nationwide.
It’s unclear why the change was made. A CVS spokesman told CNBC it was implemented several weeks ago.
Johnson & Johnson released the following statement:
“We remain committed to helping end this deadly pandemic as quickly as possible. A single-shot vaccine that provides protection and prevents hospitalization and death is an important tool in the global fight against COVID-19. Evidence from our Phase 3 ENSEMBLE study demonstrates the efficacy of the J&J single-shot COVID-19 vaccine, including against viral variants that are highly prevalent. Regardless of race and ethnicity, age, geographic location and comorbidities, these results remain consistent.”
Johnson & Johnson
In April, federal officials recommended pausing the use of the J&J vaccine while they investigated reports of blood clotting in six women who got the vaccine. The recommended pause was lifted 10 days later.
Around 13.5 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.