The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is back in use in the U.S., but fewer than half of Americans see the shot as safe, with only about a quarter of people who are not yet vaccinated saying they would be willing to take it, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll released Monday.
The poll was conducted before federal health agencies gave the green light to lift the recommended pause on the vaccine. Less than half of all U.S. adults polled said they thought the one-and-done shot is safe, after reports of rare blood-clotting cases prompted the halt. About three in four unvaccinated adult Americans, 73 percent, said they were unwilling to get the J&J shot. The J&J vaccine presents fewer logistical challenges than the more temperature-controlled, two-shot Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
Trust in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines appear unaffected: More than seven in ten respondents say they regard each of those vaccines to be very or somewhat safe.
Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, appeared on ABC’s This Week on Sunday to say he did not think the brief pause would negatively impact the public’s willingness to get vaccinated: “I think, in the long run, what we’re going to see, and we’ll probably see it soon, is that people will realize that we take safety very seriously.”
A government advisory panel on Friday voted in favor of resuming use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The shot will now include a warning on its label about the potential risk of rare, severe blood clots, and a fact sheet on potential side effects will be given to medical providers and vaccine recipients.
