Denmark shelves the Johnson & Johnson vaccine

Vaccination schedule delayed again

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Denmark has dropped the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The Danish Health Authority says any benefit from the vaccine “does not outweigh the risk of causing the possible adverse side effects.”

Deputy Director General Helene Probst:

“In the midst of an epidemic, this has been a difficult decision to make, especially since we have also had to discontinue using the COVID vaccine from AstraZeneca. However, taking the present situation in Denmark into account, what we are currently losing in our effort to prevent severe illness from COVID cannot outweigh the risk of causing possible side effects in the form of severe blood clots in those we vaccinate.”

Once again the vaccination calendar is being pushed back, this time by an additional four weeks. The deadline to have everyone in Denmark vaccinated with at least one dose is now delayed to the end of August. 

“This decision will, of course, have consequences for those who now have their vaccination postponed. For example, they will have to wait longer for the corona passport that so many of us are looking forward to getting. Age is the main risk factor for severe illness from COVID-19, and these are younger citizens who are not at risk of becoming seriously ill.”

The Danish Health Authority is not ruling out reintroducing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine if “new knowledge” emerges or if the infections situation in the country as a whole explodes again. 

Denmark has already discontinued use of the AstraZeneca vaccine over the same concerns about rare but potentially fatal side effects.