By Cathy Li

More and more COVID-19 cases are rising each day as people rush to get their vaccines, creating soaring demands for vaccinations. Many proposed newer and more transmissible variants as the number of new infections remains critically high, with more than 76,000 cases reported in mid-March, even as hospitalizations continue to drop.

However, with the increasing number of vaccines, the number of coronavirus cases has been dropping in some areas. One vaccine, in particular, caught much public attention before its distribution. Johnson & Johnson began distributing its one-shot vaccine following emergency use approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company initially supplied a limited number of doses, but then it increased production. The hope is that the more flexible vaccine will be easier to deploy in harder-to-reach areas. 

The importance of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is that not only does it require just one shot instead of two, but it can also be stored for months at normal refrigerator temperature, making it logistically easier to distribute.

Following the vaccine’s authorization by the FDA, the company planned to shipped four million doses the first week, one hundred million by the end of June, and up to one billion by the end of the year. Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky said in an interview on NBC’s Today Show, “They’re literally rolling out with the trucks as we speak,” he said.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been getting a mediocre reputation for its 66% effectiveness in clinical trials, compared to about 95% for Moderna and Pfizer. That has caused some people wondering if they should avoid the Johnson & Johnson vaccine completely. 

Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, argues that, “What I’ve been saying to my family is, as soon as the J&J vaccine is authorized, if that’s what you can get, you should get it as soon as it’s your turn in line.” Dr. Jha additionally notes that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was tested in different settings, “So that 66% number really represents an amalgamation of a variety of different clinical trials. Moderna and Pfizer were not tested in those circumstances.”

Dr. Jha points out that the most important thing is the prevention of hospitalization and deaths, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been shown to be close to 100% effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths.

Therefore, even though the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been reported to only be 66% effective, this vaccine does have its advantages, such as easier transportation, widespread availability, and the idea of a single-shot vaccine. 

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also initially encouraged people to take whatever vaccine is offered. “If you go to a place and you have J&J and that’s the one that’s available now, I would take it. I personally would do the same thing,” Fauci said. “I think people need to get vaccinated as quickly and as expeditiously as possible.”

The first shots in the U.S. were administered March 2. The CDC and FDA issued a statement on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on April 13, indicating that there had been some rare blood clotting side effects. While the use of the vaccine has been paused, the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines continue to be used as more and more Americans get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Featured image credit: Shannon Porterfield.