California Says Safe to Resume Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

SACRAMENTO, Calif., – California says it is safe to resume use of a batch of Moderna coronavirus vaccine after some people have become ill and injections have been recommended to stop.

The decision frees more than 300,000 doses to counties, towns and hospitals which are struggling to find supplies.

On Sunday, the State Department of Public Health called for a pause in the use of batch 41L20A of the Moderna vaccine. It happened after less than 10 people had possible allergic reactions after receiving injections at a San Diego vaccination site.

But the state epidemiologist says a safety review has found “no scientific basis to continue the break” and that shooting can resume immediately.

“These findings should continue to give Californians confidence that vaccines are safe and effective, and that the systems in place to ensure vaccine safety are rigorous and science-based,” said the state epidemiologist. Dr. Erica Pan.

The state consulted with the Western States Scientific Safety Review Task Force, in addition to other medical specialists and San Diego County health officials, as well as the FDA, CDC and Moderna before to publish its findings.

The group said it was not clear why seven people had adverse reactions at the same site over the course of two days, but noted that none of the reactions were life threatening.

The report noted that a large number of people had received the same batch of vaccine in other sites across the country and that no similar side effects had been reported.

The results of the working group are available at this link.