Global Healthy Living Foundation
515 North Midland Avenue
Upper Nyack, New York 10960 USA
+1 845 348 0400
+1 845 340 0210 fax
www.ghlf.org
March 13, 2021 — The non–profit Global Healthy Living Foundation’s free COVID-19 Patient Support Program for people living with chronic disease(s) represents tens of thousands of members who have unique questions and concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine and navigating the pandemic because of their underlying health issues and/or medications. Following the news that federal health agencies called for a pause in administering injections of Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine due to rare, but serious side effects, we immediately heard from our members seeking advice and support.
GHLF continues to support and encourage COVID-19 vaccination efforts.
We believe that the actions taken by our federal agencies are an important reminder that the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and other safety measures are working as intended. It is important to track and study potential adverse events, even when they are rare. GHLF encourages everyone to keep their vaccination appointments in accordance with public health recommendations and to speak with their health care provider if they have specific questions about their health history and vaccination.
Vaccination protects individuals and our public health. Combined with the three Ws: Wearing a Mask, Watching Your Distance, and Washing Your Hands, vaccination helps us protect each other and will hasten the end of the devasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
GHLF will monitor the review of Johnson & Johnson data by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and continue to provide science-backed information and advice to chronic disease community to make sure they can make informed health care decisions. For more information about the GHLF CVOID-19 Patient Support Program, visit www.ghlf.org
About Global Healthy Living Foundation
The Global Healthy Living Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses (such as arthritis, osteoporosis, migraine, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and cardiovascular disease) by advocating for improved access to health care at the community, state, and federal levels, and amplifying education and awareness efforts within its social media framework. GHLF is also a staunch advocate for vaccines. The Global Healthy Living Foundation is the parent organization of CreakyJoints®, the digital community for millions of arthritis patients and caregivers worldwide who seek education, support, activism, and patient-centered research through our ArthritisPower® (ArthritisPower.org) Research Registry. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, GHLF started a Patient Support Program, informed by a patient council made up of people living with a wide range of chronic illnesses, that now serves more than 30,000 people. Via CreakyJoints, GHLF also hosts PainSpot (PainSpot.org), a digital risk-assessment tool for musculoskeletal conditions and injuries, and eRheum (eRheum.org), for telehealth and virtual-care support. Visit ghlf.org for more information.
