Johnson & Johnson in a statement on Tuesday, said that it has “made the decision to proactively delay the rollout of our vaccine in Europe.”

“The safety and well-being of the people who use our products is our number one priority,” said the company.

“We are aware of an extremely rare disorder involving people with blood clots in combination with low platelets in a small number of individuals who have received our Covid-19 vaccine.

Johnson & Johnson said that the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are reviewing data involving six reported U.S. cases out of more than 6.8 million doses administered. “Out of an abundance of caution, the CDC and FDA have recommended a pause in the use of our vaccine.”

The decision to delay the rollout of the vaccine in Europe comes after reviewing these cases with European health authorities, the company said.

It added that, “we have been working closely with medical experts and health authorities, and we strongly support the open communication of this information to healthcare professionals and the public.”

The company also noted that the CDC and FDA have made information available about proper recognition and management due to the unique treatment required with this type of blood clot.

“The health authorities advise that people who have received our COVID-19 vaccine and develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider,” Johnson & Johnson said.

For more information on the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, click here.

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