Johnson & Johnson Debuts Single-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine

Emergency use authorization granted for Janssen shot

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Animation: Erin Krogh / The Ebbtide

Yita S. Rivera, Online Editor

 

A new COVID-19 vaccine is now available to the U.S. public.

Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose Janssen vaccine was granted emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration Saturday. The vaccine can be administered to those aged 18 and older.

A data report released by J&J on Feb. 27, 2021 showed the vaccine to be 72% effective in preventing “moderate to severe” COVID-19 infection based on U.S. trials.

Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research announced on Saturday, “After a thorough analysis of the data, the FDA’s scientists and physicians have determined that the vaccine meets the FDA’s expectations for safety and effectiveness appropriate for the authorization of a vaccine for emergency use.”

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has listed the Janssen vaccine as the third COVID-19 treatment able to be granted EUA in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic, following the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. The single-shot aspect of the Janssen vaccine allows providers to fully vaccinate individuals twice as fast as other treatments, with no follow-up injection needed.

Last year, Phase 3 testing was halted resulting in manufacturing delays. Currently, no other single-use dose vaccines are in production or in Phase 3 trials. This is a key component in fighting COVID-19 and helping to achieve herd immunity in a timely manner.

According to their data report J&J has already begun shipment of the Janssen vaccine to medical providers. The company aims to distribute 20 million doses of vaccine by the end of March, and 100 million doses in total before June.