Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine starts arriving Tuesday
WASHINGTON – Vaccine distribution facilities will begin receiving 3.9 million doses of the new Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine as early as Tuesday, White House officers introduced Sunday.
A complete 20 million doses will probably be despatched all through March, concentrated extra towards the latter half of the month, officers stated.
Most communities can have all three forms of the coronavirus vaccine, however not at each vaccination web site.
White House officers, who briefed reporters on the situation that they not be recognized by title, urged the general public to get whichever vaccine is first out there.
All three are protected and efficient at stopping what’s feared most – extreme sickness, hospitalization and dying, stated a senior administration official.
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Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine has the benefit of needing just one dose in comparison with the 2 doses for Moderrna’s and Pfizer-BioNTech’s. It additionally does not should be stored in a freezer, making it simpler to move and retailer.
But the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines look like simpler than Johnson & Johnson’s, displaying higher than 94% effectiveness in giant trials they ran final yr.
The vaccines cannot be in contrast immediately, nonetheless, as a result of the trials have been performed at totally different instances. Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine seemed to be 72% efficient amongst U.S. trial contributors. It was much less efficient in South Africa and Latin America, the place newer strains of the virus are circulating.
It was almost 100% efficient at stopping hospitalizations and deaths.
Because of the distinction in effectiveness in contracting the virus, administration officers stated they’re directing jurisdictions to distribute them equitably – and will probably be watching to be sure that occurs.
The new doses are being distributed to states proportionally to their inhabitants, simply as the opposite vaccines have been.
Rochelle P. Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stated in an announcement that the latest vaccine comes at a doubtlessly pivotal time. Recent declines in COVID-19 circumstances could also be stalling as infections are nonetheless excessive.
“Having different types of vaccines available for use, especially ones with different dosing recommendations and storage and handling requirements, can offer more options and flexibility for the public, jurisdictions and vaccine providers,” Walensky stated. “Getting vaccinated with the first vaccine available to you will help protect all of us from COVID-19.”
