On 23 April 2021, US federal health regulators lifted a recommended pause on the use of the Johnson & Johnson or Janssen (J&J) single-shot Covid-19 vaccine. The decision allows states in the US to resume administering the J&J vaccine. The J&J vaccine along with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines remain the only authorized vaccines in the US.
Since the pause on the J&J vaccine was lifted, the club has received inquiries from members about the possibility of foreign seafarers receiving the J&J vaccine during port calls to the US. Some members have been approached by a purported third-party service provider offering to arrange such vaccinations at significant cost to the member. The club is not familiar with this provider or the services it offers. If members are approached about implementing an onboard crew-wide vaccination program during a call to the US, the following may be useful to consider…
