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Milwaukee Common Council pushes for more info about J&J vaccine distribution in city

Posted at 10:27 PM, Apr 19, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-19 23:27:13-04

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Common Council’s Steering and Rules Committee is pushing for answers regarding the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

This comes after the vaccine was temporarily pulled because of some extremely rare side effects.

"This was our way to make sure that we were personally aware, but also to make sure the community was aware,” said Alderwoman Milele Coggs in the committee meeting.

Milwaukee Health Department leaders told the committee it has administered 1,542 Johnson & Johnson vaccines across 22 sites.

That includes people like Arkesia Jackson, who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine a month ago. She contracted COVID-19 last March and believes she could be a long hauler of COVID-19 symptoms.

"I'm still having those moments where I'm struggling to breathe smoothly,” Jackson said.

On April 14, three weeks after her vaccination, she went to the emergency room for shortness of breath.

"They took X Rays. Did blood work, and I was fortunate enough there were no signs of blood clots,” Jackson said.

Those blood clots Jackson was fortunate not to have, were the reason the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is on hold in the first place. At least six women nationwide have gotten blood clots shortly after they got the vaccine.

"It is a very rare, but very serious event,” said Kristen Johnson of the Milwaukee Health Department.

TMJ4 News called the Milwaukee sites that administered the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to see if they have begun outreach - some were after business hours. We will update this story when we hear back.

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