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Ohio University Switching COVID-19 Vaccine In Response To Safety Concerns

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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — Ohio University is switching to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for its student clinics after federal officials recommended a temporary halt in use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for safety reasons.

Governor Mike DeWine and Fran DeWine visit Heritage Hall College of Medicine on Monday, April 12, 2021, in Athens, OH. DeWine toured the facility and watched as three OU students were given the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and then spoke to the media about the vaccination efforts and supply in Ohio. "Our way to get back to normal is the vaccine, it's the only way to get back."
Governor Mike DeWine and Fran DeWine visit Heritage Hall College of Medicine on Monday, April 12, 2021, in Athens, OH. DeWine toured the facility and watched as three OU students were given the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and then spoke to the media about the vaccination efforts and supply in Ohio. [Chris J. Day | WOUB]
Also, because the Pfizer vaccine requires two doses three weeks apart, students will be allowed to get one of the doses somewhere else. With less than three weeks until the end of finals week, many students will be heading home before the date for their second shot.

Students will have three options:

* If they’re still in Athens when it’s time for the second dose, they can get the shot on campus.

* If they won’t be in Athens for the second dose, they can get it somewhere else. Students can contact the local health departments, pharmacies and other vaccine providers in their home communities to ask if they are able to provide a second dose.

* If they received their first dose elsewhere, they can get their second dose at one of the Ohio University campus vaccination clinics. They will need to provide a vaccination record of the first dose date and location.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday morning recommended a temporary suspension in use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Six women have developed a rare and serious type of blood clot within a week or two after receiving the vaccine. One of them died. While this is a small number out of the more than six million people who have received the vaccine, federal officials opted to act out of an abundance of caution.

The news came just as the university was making a big push to get students vaccinated before they return home at the end of the school year. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was ideal because it requires only one shot.

Gov. Mike DeWine visited Athens on Monday to encourage students to get vaccinated and watched as a few of them received the Johnson & Johnson shot. The clinic administered 349 doses of the vaccine on Monday.

Those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and develop symptoms such as severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, shortness of breath, blurry vision or nausea should contact their primary care physician so that appropriate tests can be ordered if necessary.

Muscle aches, fever, arm soreness and other symptoms are common after any COVID-19 vaccine and are not a cause for concern. Visit the CDC website for information about common COVID-19 side effects.

The university has vaccination clinics scheduled for April 14, 16, 19 and 23, with second doses on May 5, 7, 10 and 14, respectively. The clinics are at Heritage Hall, which is the new medical school building on Union Street.

To make an appointment, visit https://gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov/ and click on “Check Eligibility and Book My Appointment.”

On the next page, enter B4P8PAQMNO in the “Access Code” field.

When you get to the “Good news …” page, scroll down and enter 45701 into the ZIP code field.

On the “Select Location” page, view availability for “Athens City-County Health Department at Heritage Hall — Private.” 

Only one week’s worth of appointments will be viewable in the registration system at a time.