At UPMC, we continue to vaccinate people 16 years old and older in our communities. The COVID-19 vaccine is a safe and effective tool in stopping the spread of COVID-19. To date, we have distributed more than 515,000 doses across all of the regions we serve.

To schedule your vaccine today, visit Vaccine.UPMC.com. You will be able to schedule an appointment online or by phone at a convenient time and location. 

For more information about our COVID-19 vaccination efforts, visit UPMC.com/COVIDVaccine.

On April 23, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lifted a pause in the nationwide distribution of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine. Federal health officials paused the distribution on April 13 to investigate cases of a rare, serious blood clot reported in some people after they received the J&J vaccine.

After an investigation, the CDC and FDA determined the risk of blood clots from the J&J vaccine is extremely low. The vaccine’s known benefits of preventing COVID-19 outweigh the risks for people 18 and older. The vaccine is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19. For more information, read the statement from the CDC and FDA.

The pause of the vaccine’s distribution shows that the systems in place to monitor the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines are working. 

At UPMC, we believe in the safety and effectiveness of this vaccine and the other COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 Vaccination | UPMC HealthBeat

COVID-19 Vaccination | CDC

COVID-19 Vaccine: Quick Reference Guide for Healthcare Professionals (cdc.gov)

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in preventing COVID-19. We believe strongly in the importance of these vaccines. 

Tracey Conti, MD, executive vice chair, Department of Family Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, recently discussed vaccine safety and other important topics. You can watch the video online.

Last week, the CDC released updated guidelines on masking for fully vaccinated people. The guidelines may allow people to participate in certain lower-risk activities without a mask once fully vaccinated. 

Outdoor activities generally carry lower risk, but people should still stay cautious. Read more about the new guidelines.

Monoclonal antibodies are a promising treatment for COVID-19, and UPMC has given the treatment to more than 2,500 patients so far. One of those patients was Sharae Hopkins, who received the treatment after testing positive for COVID-19 in January. 

The treatment helped her recover quickly: “It was a complete turnaround,” she says.

• UPMC Information on COVID-19
• Centers for Disease Control Coronavirus Update
• World Health Organization
• Pennsylvania Department of Health