What the FDA’s First COVID Vaccine Restriction Means

A technician fills a syringe with a Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in Fort Knox, Kentucky, on Sept. 9, 2021. Jon Cherry/Getty Images

On May 5, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the restriction of usage of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine, stating that only people who are not suitable for the Pfizer or Modena mRNA vaccines, or who cannot receive the mRNA vaccines, can receive the Janssen vaccine.

What new findings has the FDA made about the side effects of the Janssen vaccine?

First FDA-Restricted Vaccine

Usually, “restrictions” are used for “groups unsuitable for vaccination.” For instance, in the United Kingdom, the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine is restricted for people under the age of 40, because people under 40 years old are associated with a higher risk of a severe adverse reaction – thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) upon receiving AZ COVID vaccine. This restriction is imposed to prevent people with high risk from receiving the vaccine.