The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) this morning announced that the state is pausing the administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as federal partners continue gathering more information.

No Johnson & Johnson appointments had been scheduled as part of the 7,600 vaccination appointments that will be released at 9 am this morning.

RIDOH is directing vaccinators that had made Johnson & Johnson vaccination appointments to not administer those doses. Additional information will be shared shortly regarding people who had already made appointments for Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

No information reported to RIDOH has indicated that Johnson & Johnson vaccine represents a health or safety concern. However, RIDOH says that it is taking this step in alignment with federal partners.

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...