Sweden pauses J&J COVID-19 vaccine, awaits review findings

Sweden's Health Agency said on Wednesday it would pause plans to start vaccinations using Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine following reports of rare blood clots similar to those reported for the AstraZeneca shot. The Health Agency said in a statement it would not start the vaccinations and await the findings of a review by the European Medicines Agency.

Sweden's Health Agency said on Wednesday it would pause plans to start vaccinations using Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine following reports of rare blood clots similar to those reported for the AstraZeneca shot. The Health Agency said in a statement it would not start the vaccinations and await the findings of a review by the European Medicines Agency. The vaccine has not yet been used in Sweden.

U.S. federal health agencies have recommended pausing the use of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine after six recipients developed a rare disorder involving blood clots. Following the news, J&J said it was delaying the roll out of the vaccine to Europe.