ORLANDO, Fla. — At one moment on Tuesday morning, a vaccination bus was parked at the Salvation Army men’s shelter in Orlando, with workers getting ready to administer Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines to anybody who qualified for and wanted them.

Moments later, the bus was gone.

“We had people in line, and then the CDC announcement came out, and the bus immediately shut down and moved off site,” said Robert Glinka, chief operating officer and business manager for The Salvation Army’s Orlando Area Command.

That illustrates the effect of Tuesday morning’s statement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers and Disease Control and Prevention. The health agencies recommended “out of an abundance of caution” that states pause offerings of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after six recipients developed a rare disorder involving blood clots.

Florida promptly paused all Johnson & Johnson vaccines statewide, including at federally supported sites such as the Valencia College West campus.

“We're grateful that the CDC has taken a proactive approach to trying to figure out what the issue is,” The Salvation Army’s Glinka told Spectrum News 13 on Wednesday. He also said he’s eager to see the vaccination bus return.

The Orlando Salvation Army had been promoting on Facebook a partnership between the Florida Department of Health and Matrix Medical to administer Johnson & Johnson shots weekly at its men’s shelter parking lot, near Colonial Drive north of downtown Orlando. Matrix Medical boasts locations throughout Florida and the U.S.

Glinka noted high demand for the walk-up vaccination event, which he said typically has taken place on Tuesdays. Allotments for the site started at 250 doses and always got fully used, he said.

“The demand was such that … I think they were coming in with 400 shots this week,” Glinka said.

The vaccination partnership kept the site open to anybody who met Florida requirements, and Glinka said the location appeared popular to residents and workers throughout the area, including downtown Orlando.

“We serve the community at large,” he said.

He emphasized the popularity of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which requires one dose, as opposed to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which require two doses at least three or four weeks apart.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to figure out where you’re going to be … to get your second shot,” Glinka said. “Johnson & Johnson has been embraced by the community.”

The vaccination bus has served additional Orlando locations daily, including parks and churches in underserved communities, Glinka said.

Asked what specific communities the bus serves and whether it temporarily seeks Pfizer or Moderna doses to administer, a spokeswoman for Matrix Medical Network referred Spectrum News to the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Spectrum News awaits a response from that agency.

As for The Salvation Army, Glinka said the organization isn't seeking other vaccine suppliers. 

“The bottom line," he said, "is we're looking forward to getting the vaccination bus back on our property so we can continue to serve the local community.”