ORLANDO, Fla. — Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is just one step away from final emergency use approval.
Dr. Patt Flynn of St. Jude’s Hospital in Memphis was one of the principal investigators for the shot.
“We are all exceedingly proud and exceedingly happy as of this moment,” Dr. Flynn says.
READ: How the Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines differ
She says the Johnson & Johnson vaccine offers major advantages, the most obvious of which being that it’s one and done...allowing for a faster “full” vaccination.
“With all of these vaccines at the completion of the regiment, there’s probably another 10 to 14 days before you have effective immunity against COVID-19,” Dr. Flynn explains. “And when you have to have three to four weeks in between the first and the second dose, and then add to that an additional 10 to 14 days, you’re a little bit delayed in getting immunity to the virus.”
Following today’s positive advisory committee meeting outcome regarding the Janssen Biotech Inc. #COVID19 vaccine, FDA has informed the sponsor that it will rapidly work toward finalization and issuance of an emergency use authorization. https://t.co/9ogui94ufM
— Dr. Janet Woodcock (@DrWoodcockFDA) February 26, 2021
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine also presents a pleasing profile to public health officials because it’s easier to store and ship, making it more accessible to hard-to-reach communities.
“It’s a tremendous impact because, I think everybody watches your show every day and sees some of the logistical issues that we have.”
READ: Ongoing COVID-19 vaccine studies leading to new discoveries about the shots
And each shot into an arm is progress made towards stopping the spread of the virus.
Growing evidence suggests the vaccines do indeed slow transmission of the coronavirus.
New research shows one shot of Pfizer’s vaccine accomplishes that as well.
Johnson & Johnson has submitted its COVID-19 vaccine for EUA. Learn about the biggest differences between this single-dose vaccine and those currently available from other manufacturers. https://t.co/FtPsnJljRF
— AdventHealth (@AdventHealth) February 22, 2021
“Really, right now we’re in a race to vaccinate people,” Dr. Flynn says. “We’re competing with viruses that tend to change and mutate and develop variants.”
READ: Florida scientists develop new COVID-19 vaccine to protect against multiple variants
So doctors are advising people to get either of the vaccines that become available to them, because there’s no clear indication that any offers better protection than the others.
“All three of these vaccines are extremely effective in preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID. And that’s what we started out to do, and I think that that’s what we’ve accomplished.”
Cox Media Group