Vaccine mystery: Why J&J's shots aren't reaching more arms

[brooklynite]

Politico

Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot Covid vaccine was supposed to be the catalyst for the country’s return to normal. Instead, it’s sparking confusion and finger-pointing between the states and the Biden administration over why millions of doses are sitting unused.

Almost three weeks after the Food and Drug Administration authorized the shots, no one appears to be able to explain why immunizations are lagging. Some states are thought to be intentionally holding back shots, while others say it takes time to inoculate populations like the homebound.

Over the course of the past two weeks, senior Biden administration officials have met privately to try and determine what happened. Two senior administration officials believe states are conserving their J&J supplies until there’s enough to reach underserved communities and specific groups, like teachers or the disabled. But multiple state officials say they’re using whatever they get as soon as they get it.

What is clear is that around 2.3 million of the 4.3 million doses of the vaccine delivered have actually been administered. Between 140,000 and 200,000 doses have made it into people’s arms in recent days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

[dsc]

1. One issue is the perception

albeit a false perception, that the J and J vaccine is less effective making people decide to wait for one of the other vaccines.

[soothsayer]

4. Guilty! But I'm reformed now

[honest.abe]

2. I think the problem is many people dont want it.

Thinking the other vax options are better. That mistaken attitude is causes a significant delay in getting the population vaccinated.

I had the J&J two weeks ago and very happy I did. One and done!

[soothsayer]

5. I want it now, after not wanting it

[snowybirdie]

3. Florida s Gov DeSantis

said he's not getting any J&J and couldn't say why. Likely his own bs, but someone should check it out.

[Phoenix61]

10. He just did a 3-day vaccine clinic with the J&J

vaccine. At the news conference he gave at the event he said they didn’t have any more.

[BelieveCassandra]

6. It took a lot of persistance to find any vaccine here (rural Texas)

I spent about a week trying every vaccine site on the state health website, plus other unlisted sites that I discovered, multiple times a day, going through the screening processing over and over again. There was never any vaccine available within 30 miles. Then one morning, around 6 am, I tried again and finally was able to get an appointment. About 10 minutes later I tried to make an appointment for my husband, and all the appointment slots were gone again. It is super frustrating. There are no wait lists, no information about when a vaccine might be available, just random chance on the internet. I suspect this will get easier as more
becomes available.

Good news! I finally did get an appointment for my husband, and we have had the first Pfizer shots.

[WA-03 Democrat]

7. Take the first one that is FDA approved

that you can get.

[underpants]

8. That's what I did. Only option really. J&J last Saturday the 13th

It should be fully effective this Saturday

[WA-03 Democrat]

9. to me the J&J is the ticket

One shot now and then wait till winter and get your shot update. A new shot every 6-12 months is the future. The battle will shift as the virus continues to mutate.

[roamer65]

14. Good for you!

[maxsolomon]

12. I saw a tee vee interview w/ a man-on-the-street

said he thought "the government" were giving the J&J to african-americans because they were experimenting on them and they don't want to give "the good stuff" to blacks.

so, there's that perception out there. can't say how widespread it is.

i'll take whatever i can get as soon as I can get it without lying.

[ananda]

13. There's a pharmacy near here givng them out.

I don't know how many though.