CARMEL, Ind. — After a senior year where she missed her high school graduation and prom, 19-year old Maya Kislyuk is ready for life to get back to "somewhat normal."
“Not being able to end the year with my friends was, just, it stunk,” said the Carmel High School graduate. She's now enrolled at Indiana University, taking classes online.
“I was so relieved to get the vaccine because I’m thinking to myself 'next year is going to be a better year,'” said Kislyuk.
She said she still feels that way, even after the FDA announced Tuesday it was investigating the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the shot Kislyuk got at a Carmel pop-up clinic last Sunday. Several of her family members got their shots at the same time, along with more than 1,000 other Hoosiers.
“Everybody’s going about their day, everybody’s, knock on wood, feeling great, doing great and they have no concerns,” said Kislyuk of those in her family.
The FDA’s concern about the J&J vaccine comes after six women, between 18 and 48 years old, developed rare and severe brain blood clots just six to 13 days after receiving the one-dose vaccine. One of those women died.
The FDA and CDC recommended pausing use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, causing states - including Indiana - to pull it from clinics, like the one at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday.
“It’s important to think not just about the issues that have arisen, but the other nearly seven million that haven’t,” said IU Health Dr. Paul Calkins.
Calkins pointed to the six cases involving blood clots versus the nearly seven million people who’ve received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine without complications.
“There’s literally a one in a million chance,” said Calkins, speaking of possible complications with the vaccine.
Health experts say if there is going to be a problem, symptoms would show up within three weeks of getting the J&J vaccine. Those issues include a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath. Experts said besides blood clots, low blood platelets were also an issue in the six cases.
If that happens, seek medical help and let your doctor know you’ve received the Johnson & Johnson shot.
“The first reaction people need to have if they received the J&J vaccine is to not worry, and if you don’t have any symptoms, you don’t need to do anything,” said Calkins.
Which is what Kislyuk is doing, nothing. Instead, she’s focused on what lies ahead on the other side of being vaccinated.
“We can just go about and enjoy life, the year that we lost from 2020 to 2021,” she said.