Philly Requests Extension Of FEMA-Run Center City Vaccine Site

PHILADELPHIA — The Center City Vaccination Center at the Pennsylvania Convention Center was to begin administering the single-dose Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine this week.

However, the FDA and CDC recommended the suspension of that vaccine after incidences of blood clots in six female patients.

The city and state have since paused using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

With that, Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley Tuesday said the city has requested FEMA to extend the operation of the Center City site for four more weeks.

According to Farley, the site will be using the Pfizer vaccine again, which requires a second dose three weeks after the initial dose.

To effectively vaccinate more Philadelphia, the FEMA site would have to be open for six weeks due to the three-week delay between doses.

U.S. Reps. Mary Gay Scanlon, Brendan Boyle, and Dwight Evans, as well as Sen. Bob Casey, recently wrote to the White House asking to extend the site.

This comes as the city plans to open vaccine eligibility to all residents on Monday, with Farley saying it's not too early for those who have not been eligible in previous phases to begin making vaccination appointments for next week.

Farley Tuesday called the suspension of administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine a small set back, saying

Additionally, the vaccination site at Esperanza Academy Charter School, 301 W Hunting Park Ave., has closed Tuesday due to the Johnson & Johnson pause.

That site will reopen Wednesday and begin administering the Pfizer vaccine, which it had planned to do this coming Saturday.

Patch has reached out to FEMA and will update the story when additional details are made available.