FDA Grants Emergency Use Authorization for Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization for a vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson Saturday, marking the third COVID-19 vaccine to be distributed in the United States.
Four million doses are expected to be ready for shipping this week. Johnson & Johnson said it expects to provide 20 million doses by the end of March and 100 million by summer.
Johnson & Johnson announced that the @US_FDA has issued Emergency Use Authorization for our single-dose #COVID19 vaccine for ages 18+. Read more: https://t.co/HqP7pG3cH3
— Johnson & Johnson (@JNJNews) February 28, 2021
The Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine has not been approved or licensed by FDA: https://t.co/Xnh5QXScdQ pic.twitter.com/8a2sNJZx3N
The new vaccine differs from the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines already in circulation. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is administered in a single shot, while the previously available vaccines are given in two shots. The time between doses is 21 days for Pfizer and 28 for Moderna. Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine also doesn’t require sub-zero refrigeration.
Perhaps the biggest difference is the makeup of the vaccine. Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use a messenger RNA, or mRNA, a technology that uses genetic code to make the spike protein on the virus. Our immune systems see these spike proteins as a threat and develop antibodies to fight the virus.
Johnson & Jonhson’s vaccine is an adenovirus vaccine, similar to the common flu shot. These vaccines use a harmless form of the virus to release genes that creates the spike protein.
Dr. John Greene
“It’s not as effective but it’s a single dose,” said Dr. John Greene, chair of the Infectious Diseases Department at Moffitt Cancer Center. “It’s an adenovirus instead of a messenger RNA, so it can get into your DNA but it will not make you sick or cause long term problems.”
According to the FDA, the efficacy of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine against moderate to severe COVID-19 infections is about 66%. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have shown 95% and 94% efficacy, respectively.
In an interview with the TODAY Show, Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky said the vaccine works 85% of the time against severe disease.
“It kept all of the patients out of the hospital and from dying even against these new and really challenging variants,” said Gorsky.
No matter the efficacy, experts recommend getting the first vaccine that you have access to.
“You’re not going to get hurt by getting a vaccine,” said Greene. “The worst thing that can happen to you is that you don’t mount a response and it did nothing to protect you. You’re not going to get sick from these.”
