FDA advisory panel gives the thumbs up to J&J’s vaccine
Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine is one step closer to distribution. A panel of expert advisers gave the thumbs up to Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine Friday.
That recommendation then goes to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, which is likely to grant authorization for its emergency use within a day or so, setting the stage for a planned rollout of three to four million doses next week. That would make J&J’s vaccine the third one available in the U.S. after those made by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, and it would be the only one that requires just one shot.
Unlike the other two, J&J’s vaccine can be stored in normal refrigerator temperatures instead of ultra-cold storage. That makes distribution a lot easier.
A trial found that J&J’s vaccine was 66% effective at preventing moderate-to-severe cases of COVID-19. And it was 100% effective at preventing hospitalizations 28 days after vaccination.
