Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
COLFAX — The Johnson & Johnson single-shot COVID vaccine will not be coming to Whitman County anytime soon.
“We’re pretty low down on the priority list to get the Johnson & Johnson because we are so fast getting shots into arms,” Chris Skidmore, Whitman County health director, told the county commissioners on Monday.
The vaccine has been a subject of some controversy as it was developed with the aid of abortion-derived cell lines. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops advised church members, who have a choice among vaccines, to choose the Pfizer or Moderna options.
“We’re really a Pfizer county,” said Skidmore, noting the proximity of -80 degrees Celsius (-112 Fahrenheit) storage capability at WSU research facilities in Pullman.
The ability has put Whitman County ahead of others in its ability to distribute vaccines.
The Johnson & Johnson shot is being prioritized for “transient populations,” such as farm workers following crops, prison transfers and the homeless, for which it is more productive to use the single-dose option.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was authorized for emergency use Feb. 27 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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