BOSTON, MA – In response to the nationwide pause on distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Vaccine Equity Now! Coalition Co-Chairs Dr. Atyia Martin of the Black Boston COVID-19 Coalition, Eva Millona of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, and Carlene Pavlos of the Massachusetts Public Health Association issued the following statement:

“While it is disappointing that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is paused out of an abundance of caution, we are grateful for federal health officials’ transparency and believe it is demonstrative of their commitment to earning the public’s trust for all approved vaccines. However, while they study the potential for this extremely rare but serious side effect, it is essential that the Baker administration ensures that the hardest hit communities in Massachusetts are not shortchanged on their vaccine dose allocation. While we know that mass vaccination sites will not be impacted, we are deeply concerned that the programs that are reaching our BIPOC and immigrant communities will be impacted – particularly community health centers, mobile clinics and homebound programs.

“As such, the Vaccine Equity Now! Coalition is urging the Baker administration to follow through on their initial commitment to allocate an extra 20% of doses to the 20 hardest hit communities, while factoring in the change to the Johnson & Johnson supply. While these communities represent 35% of the state’s population, they represent 45% of the state’s COVID-19 cases. We cannot lose one day of full capacity vaccine allocation in these communities.”