Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Pause The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is announcing that Rhode Island is pausing administration of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine as federal partners continue gathering more information. No Janssen appointments had been scheduled for release today. RIDOH is directing vaccinators that had made Janssen vaccination appointments to not administer those doses. Additional information will be shared shortly regarding people who had already made appointments for Janssen vaccine. No information reported to RIDOH has indicated that Janssen vaccine represents a health or safety concern. However, RIDOH is taking this step in alignment with federal partners.
Vaccine eligibility for ages 16 and older People ages 16 and older who live, work, or go to school in Rhode Island are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine. If you are eligible, you can schedule an appointment at a State-run vaccination site by visiting www.vaccinateRI.org starting April 19. People ages 16 – 17 must sign up for Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. For help, call 844-930-1779 or 211. Visit C19vaccineri.org for more information.
About COVID-19 Disease Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a virus strain that has only spread in people since December 2019. For the latest information on Rhode Island specific COVID-19 numbers, see RIDOH's COVID-19 Disease Data webpage. Medical Information People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19: Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fever or chills Muscle or body aches Sore throat Headache Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea Runny nose or stuffy nose Fatigue Recent loss of taste or smell Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have mild illness. This list does not include all possible symptoms. If you get symptoms of COVID-19, isolate at home, call your healthcare provider, and get a COVID-19 test. Do not go directly to a healthcare facility without calling a healthcare provider first unless you are experiencing a medical emergency. Rhode Island now has a doctor-recommended treatment for COVID-19 that's fast, easy, and highly effective. If you test positive for COVID-19 and are 65 or older or have an underlying health condition, immediately call your healthcare provider and ask about treatment. The earlier you start treatment, the more effective it is. COVID-19 vaccines are safe, highly effective against serious illness, and reduce the risk of infecting others. Get vaccinated when it's available to you. Learn more ways to protect your household from COVID-19. When to Seek Emergency Medical Attention If you have any of these emergency warning signs for COVID-19, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital right away. Tell them you have COVID-19: Trouble breathing Ongoing pain or pressure in the chest New confusion Inability to wake or stay awake Bluish lips or face This list does not include all possible symptoms. Call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.
